


another year in paradise

by domniall



Series: the side of paradise [2]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Forgiveness, M/M, Manipulation, Slow Burn, Threesome - F/M/M, Vacation, Vaginal Sex, Vague slut shaming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 14:17:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 29,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12170544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/domniall/pseuds/domniall
Summary: “It’s… I don’t know what it is.” She finally spoke softly, looking down at her finger nails. Her index finger curled to drag her almond shaped nails across a piece of skin and it caught so she tore it off, tossing it towards the garbage can.Dan didn’t say anything. Silence wins.“I’m… I don’t know if it’s me, or if it’s him, or if it’s us” she began. “I feel like it’s a mixture of all three.”





	another year in paradise

**Author's Note:**

> guess who's back back again 
> 
> WOW so dan. in a donut. OK! 
> 
> a lot of people asked and i love to deliver. i hate, however, cheating and don't condone it at all. you need to read the first part of the series to understand this. 
> 
> thank you so much jenna for yet again listening to me tell you every night for a week it was going to be finished. it's finally here. if you listened to me scream you are also thanked. 
> 
> SPOILER i do love me some sweet sweet sex. that's at the end if you don't like that.

The airport taxi stops in the familiar street along the curb and the whole car erupts with some type of cheer or squeal of glee. The squeals, mostly from the younger passengers. Mostly. 

The car van door slides open to expose the blinding Florida sunlight and squeals turn quickly into groans of displeasure and agony. 

Phil bravely is the first one out of the car. He has no sunblock on over his pale arms so he has bout 15 minutes of exposure before the entire trip is ruined by his paper skin. He tries to rush his family but children limbs are no match for working quickly unless it’s to run away from whatever adult that’s trying to pick them up. 

Rosa is the second out of the car, her eyes looking straight up to the sky before crying out. “Daddy, it’s too bright!” Her arm flings over her eyes to shield her face from the sky and Phil rolls his eyes. “It’s Florida, sweetie. Help your brother out of his chair.” 

“Don’t worry, I’ve got the little rascal” speaks an older voice from the car. Hands start handing out bags; snacks, purses, toy bags. Phil takes them all one by one and makes Rosa guard them as he sets them alongside the sidewalk up to the house, her eyes still squinted. 

Next tumbles out Charles who is ready to start running. He giggles loudly as his last step hits the sidewalk and he’s down it by the time Phil can call out his name and to “get back here!”

“I’ve got him, I’ve got him. Nigel, help with the bags out the back, darling.” Speaks Phil’s mum, Kathryn, as she’s pushing herself from the taxi door. Phil keeps his eyes on Charles long enough for his mum to snatch him up in a fit of giggles before he’s getting into the back of the taxi with the help of his father and the nice driver. 

Sarah is the last out, making sure every piece of everybody’s mess is picked up. She can only grin up at the house they’ve known for a little over a year and bite her lip at how excited she is to relax in peace for a whole week. 

Phil, on the other hand, sweats it out as he and his father move the bags onto the sidewalk as well. His mother and wife gather the children and the smaller bags before moving towards the house where they get it unlocked and inside. He tries to stifle any loud emotions that try to ring through his head and swallows the eerie déjà vu he gets and tips the driver so they can all move on and towards the house. 

\--

The family settle into the house and Phil and his parents divide up the luggage and haul it upstairs (“Better to do it now rather than when you’re tired” Phil’s mum reminds him) while Sarah fixes lunch for the kids and Oh. There’s food in the fridge, and the air conditioning has been on. Someone was here before them. 

Phil considers burying himself into the bedroom and hiding away until this day is over, until his parents get past the initial introductions and sweet smiles and happy, easy conversation. 

He’s glad his parents are here because he constantly misses them. The kids constantly ask about grammy and pop and they were filled with joy when they agreed on the vacation with them, helping to pay some of the expenses with their newly rewarded retirement money. The kids couldn’t wait to spend time with them and Phil couldn’t wait either, because he would finally get a moment of peace. 

Phil loves his kids. He loves his wife. He loves his life and his job and his opportunities, but it’s always all so much. Sometimes, he makes dumb decisions. The bitter taste he gets at the thought of what occurred shoots up his throat and he stands up off where he was sitting on the bed, shuddering a little, before finishing his thought. The bed sheets were new but the memories still stuck to the walls of his brain. 

Phil loves his kids, but they’re annoying. He’s admitted that to himself plenty of times. He’s even told his mother, who smacked him on the cheek, but then apologized and admitted that small children can be a hassle. Then she began to lecture him on appropriate words and phrases to use and Phil was offended by the thought she assumed he would say anything hurtful to his children or ever hurt them or neglect them. 

They’re just. Annoying. Sometimes. Rosa likes to scream, a lot. She screams when she’s happy, when she’s sad, when she’s neutral—like she just learned how to make that noise for the first time. 

Charles asks too many questions now he’s learned how to form bigger words and sentences. He’s learned questions in Spanish, too. Fucking Diego. 

It’s just so much and it never stops. Charles likes to get out of bed in the middle of the night and eat Play-doh. Rosa is the opposite and sleeps through everything, including two alarms and her mother and father telling her to wake up. She misses the bus at least twice a week. 

Phil wishes he could sleep like a rock, but he rarely gets more than 4 hours a night in between getting their worm of a son into bed and keeping him there. 

It’s taken a strain on his mind, his energy and his well-being. He’s always almost running on empty and he feels like he can’t be there for the people that need him the most. Sarah knows it’s been hard on him because it’s hard on her. She does better with the stress, though. She always has. She takes it one stride at a time and deals with things first hand. Phil lets them all pile up into one big stress pile for later himself to deal with. She knows that about him, though, and helps him up with the fall. 

He smiles as he looks down at his fingers that twiddle around each other. He loves his wife so much. He still hasn’t figured out how he tricked her into marrying him. He’s really glad whatever magical spell he put on worked. 

His thoughts kept him out of whatever was going on downstairs but they weren’t enough to block out the scream Rosa belts out. It’s a good one, they’ve learned how to decipher, and everybody shushes her before he can hear murmuring and Sarah’s clear voice speaking up and talking happily. He hears the children giggle and his parents speak and he doesn’t think much about it so he goes back to what he was supposed to be up here doing. 

He begins rolling the kids’ bags to their room along with the toy bag, opening it up and pouring them out so they can skip that one step. He leaves the door ajar slightly and heads back to his and Sarah’s room. He’s not happy about it for reasons he can’t share to anybody without ruining his life but she insists because they had so much fun last time, why change something that never needed it? 

When he wanders back in, he looks over the bed and thinks just for a moment how many men lied to their wives on this bed. 

He’s mad that he’s letting himself think about it but he hasn’t thought about it for so long, he hasn’t let himself think about it, he just lets it all out. 

How many men fucked that evil little bitch in this room and he’s sharing that same room with his wife? How many women caught their husband in the act? How many didn’t care? Or how many marriages were ruined? 

His fingers clenched into a fist and squeezed for a moment as he tried to quiet his thoughts. “Fuck.” 

His whole body heats up with anger and the crawling sensation moves up his spine and he shivers at the thought and the sensory memories he has. He hates how he can still feel the soft skin of the man’s legs under his palms; the squeeze of his thighs along Phil’s boney hips that slotted perfectly in between them. He feels the familiar heat around him again for a moment, and it sends a shock to his groin that comes with a bitter, rancid taste in his mouth, a hiccup of bile rising and swallowing down his throat again. 

He can almost hear his voice again, the harsh consonants of his accent and the way the “iiiihhhh” of Phil’s name dragged out across his lips. He hears it again, but this time it’s ringing loud through his head. 

“Long time no see, Philly.” 

Phil turns and almost loses his balance with how sharp he moves added with how fast his eyes shoot open to the figure standing in the doorway. His wide shoulder pushes up against the doorway paneling and his shirt sleeve bunches up, showing off the lighter skin of his arm contrast to the tanned line. The shirt is pink, with some beach name on it Phil doesn’t recall and he’s wearing black shorts that reach his knees. The little flick of his hair that falls down over his forehead points up towards the ceiling with the rest of the curls on top of his head. 

Phil’s stomach churns. 

“Get away from me. I don’t want to talk to you.” Phil takes a step back, blindly making his way deeper into the room closer to the side of the bed and the table there. His heel hits the back of it before he holds up his hand and points in the direction of Dan. 

“You can leave.” 

Dan frowns, of all things, and doesn’t leave. He, instead, walks into the room a few steps after pushing himself off the door frame. “You’re being rude. You can’t even say hi to me?” 

“No! I don’t have to say anything to you.” Phil grits his teeth once his poison laced words come out. He’s stiff and trying to make himself taller, make himself intimidating, like he’s fighting a bear. It doesn’t work because Dan keeps the frown on his face but continues to come closer, his arms crossing over his broad chest and fitting shirt. 

“You don’t want to tell me you miss me? Or that you’re excited for your vacation this summer? Cause your last one was so wonderful?” The ‘ful’ to his word was said with a smirk, his lips curling up and head cocking to the side, letting his curls bob over his forehead. 

Phil makes fists at his sides, squeezing his thumbs and fingers together painfully. He winces a little. 

“I didn’t miss you. I don’t miss you, or anything you stand for, or anything you did. I’m excited for my vacation with my family and my wife and my parents. It involves none of you. You come and clean and that’s it. No adventures with the nanny, no swimming trips, no nothing. Understand?” 

Phil’s making eye contact with him, trying to hold back from pushing him or hurting him. He’s nearly shaking with emotion; anger, embarrassment, hurt, lust. No. 

Dan rolls his eyes and breaks the tiny connection and throws his head to the side before turning himself around and making it back to the door. “Why are you such a prude? You aren’t allowing yourself to have fun. It’s not like you’ve murdered someone. You got your dick sucked, oh well!” 

Phil’s shocked, bewildered, bamboozled, shook as his students would say, and his eyes widen and crease in. 

“Oh well? Oh well?! Is that what this fucking is to you? A brush off your shoulder? A pebble in your way? I cheated! Cheated! That’s huge! I lied to my wife, I’ve been lying to my wife. My kids. My mum and dad. My friends. It’s made my life a living hell. I can’t sleep more than 5 hours a night because of you and your twisted little game. I’m always paranoid and scared and worried. I could lose my entire life in an instant and you’d just bat your eyelashes onto the next guy, ruin another life and another family.” 

Phil takes a ragged breath and his chest rumbles. He tries to calm down, closes his eyes and breathes in through his nose a few times. 

Dan watches, unamused. “It’s fun, so sorry my form of fun isn’t your cup of tea. Should have had better control of your dick, huh?” He spits out and keeps that same smirk on his lips. Even worse, the sweet dimple creases in. 

“It’s fun?” Phil almost growls. “You’re nothing but a home wrecking whore.” 

Dan snorts with a laugh and throws his head back as his whole body shakes with laughter. His hands come up and hold at his chest and his shoulders cave in a little as he hiccups out his giggles. Phil narrows his eyes and ruffles a hand through his hair. 

It takes Dan a moment to calm down and he’s wiping a tear away. Dramatics or not, Phil’s pissed. 

“I’ve heard worse, hun. Nothing you could say could hurt me. I’ve had threats thrown around my name probably worse than you’d ever think. I’ve been sent death threats. It’s part of the gig.” 

The gig. The gig of ruining lives and hurting people; spouses, children. Phil’s head spins with how mad he’s gotten and his words just spill out of his mouth. 

“You know, you’re a really smart person, Dan? Had you not done what you did, I would have loved to been your friend, because you know what makes people tick. You know how to get inside of their heads. You would have been like, one of the best lawyers. You would have made millions with your amazing mind. I would have hired you and I don’t even need a lawyer, you’re just that good.” Phil is looking at him, his eyes peering at Dan’s. Dan’s still smiling, probably getting hard from the praise, Phil thinks. 

“But you’re just really dumb. You gave up a beautiful, wonderful life for this. For a pool house in the middle of Florida. You could have worked for anybody. You could have worked for famous people, movie stars, anybody, because you’re that brilliant. But you, instead, chose playing in some probably crappy band and old, hairy guys that fuck you with their small dicks because their wife is probably too good for them and married them for trips like these. You gave up a really good idea to be a bum, basically. I’m not about to shame actual sex workers who pay their way through college or for their children’s schooling. You dropped out.” 

Phil sees his eyes falter. Dan looks down at the floor and swallows and shifts his weight a few times, scratches his chest. He doesn’t make eye contact with Phil until he’s done. 

“Are you done?” 

Phil nods. He turns himself to sit down on the edge of the bed, and he lets his legs stretch out before him. It breaks the tension slightly but Dan remains where he stands. Phil may not be good with understanding people, but he understands words, and their power. He’s been writing and studying them since he was 3. He’s an English lit professor with a focus in romantic works and literature and poetry. He knows words. He knows that people like Dan are sometimes lost with words. 

However, it doesn’t last long. 

“How do you know that your dad has a small dick, Phil?” Dan asks quickly before stepping his way towards the door, a faint grin on his lips. 

“Fuck you.” Phil spits. 

“Don’t you dare try. Leave them alone. Leave me and my family alone.” 

Dan laughs again and Phil’s fuming, the never ending cycle between them it seems like. 

Dan waves over his shoulder before blowing a sweet kiss that turns sour. “See you later, sweetheart! Thanks for the chat!” 

Dan’s gone and out of Phil’s view before he can say anything else to the rat of a person. 

Phil feels drained. His muscles are weak but stiff and his head hurts and pounds the longer he sits and thinks about what just happened. He needs a nap. He needs to relax. Maybe he finally can. He thinks he got to what’s left of Dan’s morals and conscience and this vacation will be a breeze. 

\--

Dan’s decent down the steps is quick and bruising. His teeth sink into is lip hard enough to make it puff up after letting his bite go off it. He can’t say anything, not now, and he’s faced with Sarah first, her smiling lips and soft cheeks scrunched up. 

“You’ve done some shopping? Thank you, love. I was worried we’d need to go out. I think we’re just going to stay in for the night, but you’re welcome for dinner with us.” Her eyes lit up at the mention of him staying and Dan could only grin, this time with no malice behind it but happiness.

“Thank you so much, you’re a doll. However, I was invited to a party down on the shore tonight by a couple of my friends. So if you don’t really need me, I was going to head to that. Though I’ll be up bright and early tomorrow morning for your breakfast, promise.” His hand came up and tapped on his chest for a moment and she laughed lightly before closing the gap between them. Her warm hand touched down on Dan’s shoulder. 

“No worries, you have fun at the party. Live while you can. I’ll make a strong pot of coffee tomorrow morning just for you.” She winked before giving the faintest smirk which Dan returned. 

“You’re the best. See you tomorrow! Tell the kids I said bye!” he said as he didn’t see them in the living room nor through the glass of the outside. She nodded and took her hand from his shoulder to wave. He returned it over his shoulder as he walked through the living space before getting through the pristine glass doors.

The sun shone down bright, burning the back of his neck slightly in just the few seconds in took him to return inside the pool house. Once the door was opened, it was slammed shut. 

“Fuck you, Phil Lester and your stupid fucking face.” Dan growled to nobody but the cool air inside the pool house. He liked it cold; he could cuddle up in his blankets at night. 

He kicked his shoes off and made sure to kick them against the wall in anger before he dropped himself back into the couch and his head dug into the cushion behind him as he tried not to scream into the silence of his own house in the back end of the yard. 

He digs his fingers into the faux leather and let his eyebrows scrunch together as he tries to rationalize the ball of emotions rolling around in his brain. Fuck Phil and his words and his college degree. Fuck his life, and his nice, pretty wife, and his sweet kids and smart parents. 

Fuck his wife. 

Dan’s eyebrows relax and he’s breathing out slowly through his mouth, blowing some air slowly in his lips that form into a tiny ‘o’ shape. 

His eyes close as his head tilts back into the padding of the couch and he’s thinking about her. Her hair is soft, her legs are long, her smile is sweet, and her voice has a nice twang. She is smart. She has class but she knows a lot more than she puts off. She has a hidden wild side, as most mothers of two do. 

Dan’s seen them all. Some moms have serious drinking problems while others have dom and sub parties with men they work with. 

Some moms snort coke with Hadid daughters while others do porn on the side. 

She has something hidden. Not that it’s a bad thing, it’s just not what a normal mom does. Dan tries to figure out exactly what a normal mom does and nothing comes to mind because he reminds himself women aren’t restricted to gender roles, obviously, he’s smarter than that. 

He still needs to get inside, mentally. Physically, will… come later. 

His eyes opened again and he pouted at his reflection in the TV screen when he finally saw it. This wasn’t good party attire. With his thoughts settled and his anger washed away, Dan pushed himself up off the couch to get himself presentable and fuckable for the party. 

\--

The next morning the air is crisp but it slowly will get more humid. Rain is in the forecast for the rest of the day and family grumble to themselves. 

“Daddy, I thought we came for sun! I want sun!” Rosa complained as she looked out the door, water rushing down the glass. Like the band wagoner he is, Charles chimed in. 

“I want sun! I want sun!” 

Phil grimaced. “Kids, I want sun too, but it’s just gonna rain today. We can stay inside and play and watch Peppa.” He motioned to the TV where the show played quietly and both children frowned up to him before they plopped themselves down on the carpeting in front of the TV. 

Phil’s mum came in right after they sat down, nursing a cup of coffee. “Ooh the rain! Maybe if it stops for a little while, we can go play in the puddles!” She passed Phil with a big grin and the children cheered for the suggestion, climbing up onto the couch with her where she sat. She continues to talk to them and point outside. 

Phil grimaced again. They’re her problem as of now. He leaves immediately before there’s any backlash and hides himself in the kitchen. 

He blames how tired he is, how grumpy he is because of the rain. They left England for a reason. 

He blames how hungry he is. He blames how bright this light is inside this kitchen. 

They are just kids, he reminds himself. His kids. That he loves very much. So much that he wouldn’t cheat on their mother with the guy who plays house with them. The guy who his daughter wouldn’t stop talking about for at least a month after they left the last time. She still remembered her toys she wanted to bring so he could see them. Her Peppa doll, her doll that kind of looks like him. 

“Phil, hello? Can you hand me that pan, sweetheart?” Phil blinks and it’s Sarah. “Are you zoning out? Maybe you should go back to sleep for a little bit.” She gives a little laugh. 

Phil turns and picks up the pan she wanted and hands it over before rubbing at his eyes again. 

“Your dad isn’t awake yet, you get more like him every day.” She shakes her head with a fond smile and turns back around to face the stove top. The third burner flicks four times before catching and the ring of fire is bright and purple and hot. She sets the pan down on it and slabs a piece of butter in. 

“I’m just tired. I think the lag caught up with me.” Phil shakes his head a few times before he reaches up and fluffs his hair. 

“Aw, poor baby. I wonder when the lag will catch up with the kids? They woke up at five this morning. Awake as ever.” She huffs out an annoyed breath and lays out bacon across the sizzling pan. 

Phil’s eyes soften because, hey, relatable. “Right? For once can they just. Sleep? Like normal children? I don’t remember ever getting up before 7am unless I was made to.” 

He takes another step closer and he’s giving a little grin. She laughs out softly. 

“You still don’t get up before 7am unless you’re made to.” Her head turns to look at him and their eyes meet for a moment before they both laugh in unison. His hand raises up to cup at her back and extends to wrap around her lower waist. 

“Hey now.” He mumbles and without hesitation they both lean in for a soft, short kiss. Her free hand touches gently at his clothed chest, letting her fingers starfish for a moment. Her lips fold up into a grin as she continues to kiss Phil lightly and he returns the smile before their noses boop together and they pull away in giggles. 

“Love you.” She mumbles before quickly turning to flip the almost burning bacon. She lets out a soft yelp when she realized it. Phil chuckles and gives her waist a squeeze. 

“I like it crispy, don’t worry. I like you crispy too.” 

Her brows furrow in confusion but her mouth is smiling and she lets out a snort. “What in the world does that mean?” 

“I dunno, something good.” He tilts his head down and closes his eyes as he presses his nose lightly to her cheek as she continues cooking. He kisses where his mouth lands a few times before humming contently. 

She smells like shower wash and roses. She rarely wears perfume, it’s just her natural smell and it’s too good. Phil breathes her in again for good measure and she shivers at the sensation, a quick jolt. 

“Get plates out.” She speaks and Phil hums. “In a moment. Don’t want to move yet.” 

The universe hears her, and him, and simultaneously ruins the moment, and really, Phil’s entire day and week and life, really. 

“Hello Lester fam- OH! Ohp… I’m sorry. Wow, okay, I. Sorry” 

The loud booming voice jerks Phil away from his wife and he’s standing up straight, his eyes wide and looking to the body peeking in from the living room entrance. Sarah jumps too but isn’t frightened still like Phil was. She lets out a nervous giggle and shakes her head, tossing her hair from the one side of her neck to the other. 

“Oh, gosh, no sorry. You’re fine, Dan, sweetheart. We were just… talking.” She clears her voice and smiles at Dan before glancing to Phil. 

“Plates, sweetheart?” 

Phil finally comes back into reality and he’s nodding before turning himself around to reach up into the cabinet. 

Dan makes his way slowly into the kitchen. “Didn’t mean to ruin your breakfast canoodle. I can come back for lunch?” 

Phil was about to break in with “Never come back at all” but his wife beat him to it. 

“No! Of course we want you here, no worries. I’m not weirded out or anything if you aren’t. Better you than his mum, I guess.” She smiles over her shoulder as Dan comes to stand opposite of her and he smirks playfully before nodding. 

“You’re right. So how are we today?” He looks between the both of them and Phil’s not making eye contact. Phil ignores the question except for a soft “Fine” and sets the plates down next to Sarah’s working area on the counter top. Dan’s eyebrow raises as his hands hold him up against the counter top. 

“Alright! Glad to be in the lovely state of Florida, though it resembles a normal English day.” Sarah’s reaching for a plate and ignoring the rude way Phil interacts with Dan, piling up the food. “Can you call the kids in, Dan, sweetheart?” 

That word makes Phil’s muscles stiffen. It shouldn’t. Sarah calls everybody and anybody sweetheart. Or darling. She’s kind and gentle and always wants people to feel special. She uses them instead of using gendered terms like ma’am or sir. It’s inclusive and it’s sweet and Phil wants her to never say it to Dan again because he’s not sweet and he has no heart. 

“I’ll get them.” Phil interjects and raises his head before nodding at his wife and exiting the kitchen, paying no attention to Dan who was about to leave the kitchen. He stopped right as Phil crossed his path and furrowed his brow before turning to look at Sarah who simply gave a small frown. She turned back to the plates and was filling them up. 

Dan closed the gap between them and picked up the done plates, moving them to the table. As he came back for another, he talked softly while ducking his head slightly in to be the same height as her. “What’s his problem?” His hand raised up and pointed in nowhere particular with his thumb. 

She just shook her head and glanced up with a look that only said “not right now” and instead smiled. Looking past him, she saw the kids waddle in and find their chairs as well as Phil’s mum. 

Dan took it and dropped the subject, for now. 

\--

Phil and his father eventually made it downstairs both dressed appropriately in button down shirts and shorts, top dad attire. Dan, Sarah, and Kathryn shared glances before giggling to themselves. Rosa laughed too, though she didn’t really know why. 

They ate breakfast without any notice from the two dads and shared their laughs throughout. 

Phil made sure to put his wife and mother on one side and his father and kids between himself and Dan. 

Charles and Rosa asked to swim once done with breakfast and Kath volunteered herself to go watch them. Nigel and Phil continue talking about something and retreat themselves to the living room so they can’t be bothered. 

Sarah and Dan are left in the kitchen; Dan takes scooping duty and empties the plates while Sarah begins rinsing and filling up the dishwasher. 

Once Dan finishes his first duty, he makes sure to swing past the opening of the kitchen and pull the separating door closed enough that they could have some privacy. Sarah saw him do it, and rose her eyebrows before taking a soft bite at her bottom lip. When she glanced at him, their eyes met and he also rose his eyebrows at her. 

“Soooo. You gonna spill?” His hands came to his hips while she kept a low gaze on him. 

It took her a moment but she admitted a silent defeat and sighed out slowly. The unnoticeable tension in her shoulder rolled out slowly down through her body and out her mouth with the way she breathed out and sat down the rag she was using to wipe the counter tops down. 

“It’s… I don’t know what it is.” She finally spoke softly, looking down at her finger nails. Her index finger curled to drag her almond shaped nails across a piece of skin and it caught so she tore it off, tossing it towards the garbage can. 

Dan didn’t say anything. Silence wins. 

“I’m… I don’t know if it’s me, or if it’s him, or if it’s us” she began. “I feel like it’s a mixture of all three.” 

Her head finally rose and she peered through her eyelashes to a Dan who was already frowning a little at her. He made a soft tsk noise with his tongue and came closer, his hand reaching out to touch on her arm. 

“What’s been going on? I hardly doubt it’s you. You’re amazing!” Dan gives her arm a reassuring squeeze before his eyes widen a little, encouraging her. 

She flexed a small smile before her face fell again. “He isn’t the same anymore. He’s still Phil, don’t get me wrong, and he’s still the person I love with my whole entire heart, but. He’s changed. I don’t know if it’s hormonal or something to do with work or he’s just getting older? I’ve tried talking to his mum about it, and she has no idea. He hasn’t said anything to her about it, nor his father.” 

Dan frowns sincerely, listening close. He nods when he’s supposed to and she continues.

“At first, I thought he was leaving me.” Her hurt laugh comes out a bit choked. “He swore it wasn’t that. He says he’s happy and I believe him because he’s still here.”

“He still... loves me. I still feel it. Like, when you walked in on us just this morning. That was him. He was goofy and being soft and gentle. He kissed me so tenderly.” Her eyes look up to the ceiling for a moment, trying to not let them well up. Her arms circle her own waist and sides and she’s hugging them around herself now. “But, other times, it’s like there’s nothing behind his actions. Like, he’s going through motions. It’s not all the time, but when it happens, it stings so bad.” 

Dan sighs, his head cocking and he looks defeated for her. He keeps a frown and comes closer to her, his hands coming to touch lightly at her arms. “I’m so sorry. That sounds awful. You said work was a problem? What’s happened there?” 

He starts off easy, simple. 

She looks up at him and frowns slightly. “He has taken on two more classes since last fall semester. It’s been a lot for him, because they’re entry level courses but he loves his job so much. They also aren’t paying him much extra for those courses, so. We aren’t seeing any good benefits. He always comes home tired and weighed down with work. I try to help, but there’s so much.” 

She sniffs her nose and reaches up to rub at it, her head shaking a little down at her feet. “That’s when it all really started. After our last trip, everything kind of snowballed. Right after we got home, he was given the two courses. He was fine, happy, excited even. Then first week came around and that mixed with not being home a lot just… hurt us even more. I thought this would help us, the trip. The last one was so wonderful.” 

Dan grins a little. “I’m glad I could be a part of this one for you guys.” 

She responds back with a smile up at him. “How could you not? You’re such a doll. You’re like, considered one of my best friends now. I wish I could have you over for wine night in the fall.” 

Dan scoffs and holds his hand up to his chest. “Wine night? That sounds literally amazing. I will fly to England every other Thursday just to participate.” 

She grins even bigger. 

He goes a bit deeper. 

“You said hormonal problems? What’s that about?” 

They’ve made more coffee and found themselves in the little office nook that leads to a private balcony that sits to the side of the house. They sit there in the warm shade and nurse their drinks. 

She sets her mug down and folds her hands over her skirted lap. 

“Around the beginning of October, he said he felt tired more. He wasn’t getting a lot of sleep, and he said he felt laggy. I told him to see the doctor. You never know what it could be? So he went, and nothing was wrong, just stress they told him.” 

She looked out over the green grass that radiated the sun bright into her face. 

“It was around the same time we stopped… having sex, too.” 

Bingo. Just like clockwork. It’s too easy. 

“So… like.. not to be nosy, but.. have you since then?” He was on the edge of his seat, biting at his lip. “Sorry if that’s too much, wow.” 

She snorted. “No. Nobody else really cares but you. But, yeah. Our anniversary, his birthday, my birthday. The obligatory for a couple over… like, 40.” 

Dan rose his eyebrows and sipped his coffee. He appreciates the shade and the patio roof blocking them from the sun, shade. 

“Which, kind of sucks. We used to be incredibly active. Yes, when it’s not summer time, and we’re both working full time, it’s hard to keep up. But still, then, we’d have a weekend in the month where we’d plan for something... sexy or, you know.” She rests her chin down on her shoulder and shrugs suggestively. 

Dan’s eyes roll playfully and he grins. “Oh, I know.” 

“So. I started to blame myself. Which, I know I shouldn’t, because I haven’t done anything different. He just. Doesn’t find me attractive anymore. And, we all know typical men. They are never tired for sex. He used that excuse every time. If you don’t want to have sex, just tell me! Or tell me what I’m doing wrong so I can fix it.” 

She grumbles and looks out around the yard again, her eyes squinting. “He used to tell me everything, and now it’s like I’m talking to Charles rather my own husband.” 

“That must be a buzzkill” Dan suggests as he leans forward, setting his cup down. “Also, I must say, it can’t be you. You’re gorgeous. He’d be crazy to not want it.” She nods and gives a faint smile. 

“Thank you. And, you have no idea. I thought it was his libido as well, since he suggested it. He even said the same thing to me. ‘I want it, I just don’t have the energy for it’ so. We went to the doctor again, this time asking for the magic pills. They worked, when he took them.” 

“He didn’t always take them?” 

“I told him to stop taking them. It didn’t feel real. It didn’t feel the same. It was like I was manufacturing orgasms. He said the same thing.” 

Dan waits, ponders. He uncrosses his right leg from over his left and shifts, putting the left one over his right. He’s been waiting to say something since yesterday night. It’s been the only thing on his mind since them. His fingertips tingle and his brain whizzes. Not yet. 

“So like, has it gotten any better since the semester ended?” His fingers dig into the material of his jeans and it presses into his thighs. 

Her head tilts back in thought before humming. “A little bit. He fucked me the night of his last day of the semester and it was really good, soft, but what we needed. It lasted for a while until we started planning for the trip. He got stressed again, thinking about what he needed to do before we left. We haven’t really done anything since middle of May.” 

It’s July 16th. 

“There was one time, I think the week after the end of his semester, what was really good. I thought we were getting back into it, y’know? He had this really good idea and I was… really excited.” Her lips were turning up and glancing back and forth between the pale wood under them and Dan’s eyes. 

He grins. “Well spill!” 

She laughs out, her shoulders heaving a little. “He said he wanted to film us together.” 

It’s like he walked right into this. It was screaming for him. 

Dan’s jaw drops in mock shock and she laughs out, again her head falling back along the rounded rest of the wicker chairs they sat in. 

“Kinky! So, what happened? Does this tape exist somewhere?” 

She snorted, her laughs still rolling out. “Tapes?! Where are we, the 90’s? It’s on an SD card locked in our safe at home. However, he has… clips on his computer. He says sometimes he liked to watch them after he got done with work. Said it helped.” 

“Oh, you kids are wild these days.” Dan smirks, his arm resting on the arm of the chair so his head can sit on his flat palm. She reaches over to playfully push at him. 

“I’ve bet you’ve done some crazy things living here. Some parties where you’ve done some shit.” 

Has he ever heard her cuss before? 

“Well, you’re not wrong.” He smirks. “Let’s just say, spring break of 2015 will be one that I, and two other people, will never forget.” 

Her mouth gapes open for a moment and her head tilts forward in awe. 

“You mean…?” 

Dan just nods and rolls his eyes playfully before laughing out. She follows with a loud laugh. 

“You dog!” She giggles, covering her mouth up for a moment. “I envy you, though. That’s like…. Something I’d actually like to do.” 

Oh, this is too easy. He almost feels bad. 

Like stealing candy from a fucking baby. 

Dan’s eyebrows furrow together and he’s glancing off to the side. His hand comes out and twists a little. 

“Why haven’t you? All you need is one more person. Also… it might help you and him? If the recording thing helped, this might seal the deal? Like, this is like being recorded in the mind of somebody else. Same principle.” 

She considers it and then quickly shakes her head. “He wouldn’t like it. He’s so sensitive about himself sometimes, I really hate it. He’s just self-conscious.” 

Dan almost says he doesn’t need to be. Almost. 

“That’s why you get somebody you both know and can trust. If it’s not something you like after all, you keep it a secret between you three. If it’s something you like, then you have that person to go to!” 

Her face falls as she continues to look down, now at her hands. Her fingers play with the fabric of her skirt. She thinks like him. You can both see their minds play out through their faces. She’s weighing the pros and cons. 

“We don’t… really know anybody like that. Which, sucks, really. Because I love sex? But all the women I know are so ashamed to even speak about stuff like this. Why I enjoy our talks so much… But I just don’t see it ever being a possibility.” 

“Doesn’t have to be a woman.” Dan chimes in quietly. 

Her head raises and she pauses. Her face goes through a million and one different emotions while keeping her eyes in line with Dan’s. He keeps a straight face with a small smile, his fingers coming to tap lightly on his chin where they touch. 

She takes in a breath, opens her mouth only to close it. She blinks and then looks around behind Dan. She takes in the grass, the road she can see far behind him. She starts to talk and her eyes focus in finally. “I…” 

“Ask him. What’s the worst he can say? No?” Dan’s shoulders shrug up slightly. She keeps her straight face and instead of the reaction Dan thought of, she nods. She nodded. 

She nods again and gives a tiny smile. 

As he goes to reach for her arm, the doors behind them opens and voice asks for her. 

“Sarah?” 

Phil’s head pops out and his face is immediately stern. “Oh. I thought… you were out here alone, reading.” 

“Oh! No, sorry sweetheart. Dan and I were just catching up.” She smiles and shifts her hair from one side to the other. “Did you need something?” 

Phil blinks. “Uhm… I.. Uh, yeah. The kids. Kids, want us to swim with them. My mum wants a nap as well, so I thought it was our turn. I’m gonna go change.” 

Dan smiles and waves as Phil glares at him through the screen as he steps back. 

“Okay! I’ll be right up!” Sarah responds over her shoulder and she’s moving to stand herself up. She goes to reach for her mug but Dan shooshes her hands away. She makes a soft “oh” and smiles. 

“You go have fun. I’ll clean up.” 

“Thank you.” She smiles happily, Dan can see it the way her lines crinkle around her mouth. Phil must have made those that deep. 

Dan turns as he hears here step her way from the side patio and he grabs for the mugs. 

“Oh, and Dan?” He hears her speak softly. He stops to glance back over his shoulder at her. 

“When you and those… other two people.. what exactly was your role?” 

Dan looked up to the ceiling as if he had to think about it. “I took some, I gave some.” He nodded and gave a smile to her. 

She made a soft ‘oh’ like the other one before and let out a soft giggle before stepping herself into the cool house. Dan could feel the breeze coming through to the outside where he sat. 

He sat like a king, for a moment. Everything was exactly how he needed it to go and without any bumps. 

“Cheers.” He said to himself before taking down his last drink of coffee. 

It’s too easy.

\--

The rest of Monday and all of Tuesday pass by quickly for Dan and the family. He doesn’t see them much as they were off to the Zoo for much of Tuesday so he was left to his own devices. 

He cleaned up most of the house for them, his actual job other than ruining lives, as Mr. Lester put it. 

At around 5pm, he got at text from Sarah asking if he could start some food for them and she would help with the rest when they got home and he happily obliged, going into the kitchen to whip up some spaghetti. 

The noodles and sauce were near a boil when the family filed in and all sat down, happy food was ready for the empty bellies. 

All but Phil and the kids thanked Dan for making the food which Dan wasn’t surprised about so he smiled the rest of dinner and ate happily with them while talking to Rosa and Charles about all the animals they saw today. He watched them show their goodies from the gift shop and asked them about their favorites. 

“My favorite animal is a llama.” Dan said, nodding. Rosa’s eyes lit up. 

“That’s mine too!” Dan smiled and glanced up to the family who all looked like that was news to them. He just laughed it off, though, and asked Charles about his. 

“I like snakes! Sssssss!” 

“Oh! They’re so scary though! They’ll ‘ssssss’ right up your leg and bite’cha!” With the noise, Dan walked his fingers up Charles’ leg and playfully pinched at his hip. The boy squealed with laughed and kicked his legs before pushing at Dan’s face. Everybody laughed and Nana Lester did the same thing to him on his other leg while Phil grumbled in the corner, skulking into his spaghetti. 

Dan just gins and sits back because Phil knows how this is going to go. Dan’s going to continue to win while he has to sit there and let it act like he isn’t completely bothered by it. 

The funny thing is, had Phil not tried to drag Dan through the dirt, they wouldn’t be here. Dan would have kept his distance and let it go. He would have said he was busy with things, trying to do something else, had parties to go to or naps to be taking. He would have kept to himself in his pool house. 

Phil wanted to take his step up to the plate, so Dan was throwing him a curve ball. 

Phil wipes his mouth a final time with his napkin and tosses it down on his empty plate before pushing himself away from the table. He mumbles something about taking a nap before he’s gone out of the kitchen. Sarah tsks softly but says nothing else. The Lester’s continue to play with their grandchildren around the table. Dan hums contently and watches the kids play around. 

\--

After dinner, Dan is left in the kitchen again by himself. He’s washing up and almost done with the dishes as well as a nice glass of wine offered by Sarah. She went out into the living to play with the kids. 

He’s gotten most of them dry and put away when she returns in, her glass empty. 

Dan nods and wiggles the bottle at her which she nods and holds her glass out. “Thank you.” 

He tips the bottle to pour out the rest of its contents before setting it down on the counter top. 

“Always welcome.” Dan picks up his own glass and lets his hip dig into the side of the counter top that budges out over the edge of the counter itself. “So, have you said anything to him about our conversation?” 

She clears her throat and hears the question but takes a sip of her drink. It swishes around her mouth a few times before she swallows and breathes out. She peeks up at him through her eyelashes and wow, her eyes are gorgeous. 

“No, not yet. I just… haven’t gotten to be alone enough. He asked about what we were talking about, you know? And I should have just said it right out. But I just said nothing, about life and whatever.” She shakes her head and quiets her thoughts with another drink. 

Dan shakes his head a little. “Better get at it, you only have five more days. Times a tickin’!” 

She hums out and then frowns. “I know. Friday would be like… the ideal day. It’s Grandparent’s day at the theme park the kids want to go to again, and we were gonna let Nigel and Kath go with them while.. we had a day to ourselves.” 

Dan smirked. “That would be a perfect day for it.” 

“A perfect day for what?” 

Sarah almost spills her wine with the speed she turns around to see Phil in the doorway. Dan quiets himself with another drink and decides to let her do the talking. 

“Oh, nothing. Just telling Dan about our week.” She shrugs and smiles, taking the steps over towards him. Her free arm wraps around his waist and she leans up in to kiss on his cheek softly. Phil keeps his eyes looking over Dan but he takes her glass when she offers it and takes a swig. 

Dan doesn’t hear what he says to her, but she laughs lightly and smiles back at Dan before they’re going back into the living room. 

“Huh.” 

\--

That night at around 12am, Dan is hiding away in his house playing an intense international game of Mario Kart. 

“Sweden, you fucking dick.” He mumbles as the Swede passes him for first place. The jokes on the other guy, really, because just as he passes, the blue shell zooms by to which Dan just cackles at. He picks up another item, a banana, which okay useless, and tosses it before he makes another lap with one more to go. 

He’s into it, he’s leaning over himself on the couch with his eyes peering into the TV. The energy drinks around him are empty and his discarded shirt lays somewhere but it doesn’t matter as he’s rounding the very last turn of the game. 

“Yes, yes, yes, yes.” He’s mumbling under his breath and he’s so close he can taste it, his mouth watering at the sweet win he’s about to have branded on his name. At the same time he crosses the finish line, the knock at his door makes him jump. 

“Fuuuckkking- shit.” He jumps at the noise and he’s quickly clicking through the screens before he tosses the remotes down into the cushion of the couch and stands up. He squints his eyes a little as he hears another knock and when he finds himself in front of the door, he peels away the curtain to see Sarah in a nightgown outside. 

“Dan?” She says and it sounds like she’s underwater through the door. He flicks the lock open and twists the handle to open the door to her. 

“Hey? What’s wrong?” He says softly, looking down at her. She seems angry mixed with a bit hurt. 

She crosses her arms over her chest protectively and looks down at the ground for a moment. “We... had a fight.” 

Dan sighed and he reached up into his hair to ruffle it out of his face. “Alright, to the kitchen. We need some wine.” 

Without any words, she turned and he shut the door behind himself before following her towards the main house. 

\--

One bottle was almost gone and her feet were on the chair she sat on, arms wrapped around her knees and legs. Her head rested at her caps as she looked at Dan who was taking another long sip from his glass. 

“So… you’re telling me. He told you not to talk to me anymore?” 

“Yes.” 

“That… doesn’t sound like him at all.” Dan was bewildered for show but he really was surprised this didn’t come earlier. He’s surprised Phil put out for this long. 

“It really isn’t him. He’s never, ever told me to stop talking to somebody. Ever! So…” 

Dan’s eyes encouraged her to continue, waiting to hear. 

“So I told him to fuck off. That I can talk to whoever I want to.” 

“Holy shit.” Dan was covering his mouth, a bit shocked now. He wouldn’t be truthfully if he wasn’t tipsy. The wine makes this all seem a bit surreal. 

“I told him and then he started apologizing because he doesn’t want me to be mad but like, I’m already really freakin’ mad? Like, you just can’t tell a woman to stop talking to somebody when you won’t even talk to me in the first place. He had no right to say that when he won’t speak to me.” Her next swig of wine was big and she swallowed it down quick. 

“Oh shit, girl.” Dan mumbled, intrigued with what happened next. 

“So, he said he was sorry and that it was best I didn’t talk to you. So I said okay, I’m going for a walk. And I walked down here, and went to your door. Sorry, to bother you by the way.” 

She went for the second bottle and popped the cork open in one swift motion with the opener. It made a soft popping noise. 

“No worries, I was just kicking European ass on Mario Kart. I won it, too.” 

She laughed softly, covering her mouth as she looked over towards him. “I’m glad one of us is winning something.” 

He returned the smiles and finished off the first bottle into his glass. “Don’t worry. You’re gonna win by the end of the week. Tell him to make it up to you by having a threesome with the cute pool boy.” 

He reached over to clink their glasses together and she giggled again before he was downing half his glass. She decided why not and followed him. 

He sighed out and sat his glass down before he let himself lean back into the chair, humming contently at the way the warm rose up over his cheeks and chest. It felt nice and calming. He felt safe like this, and he’s glad she felt the same way. 

Once her glass was down, she continued to let out faint little giggles while holding her hands together around her legs. She scratched her cheek along her pale, bare knee before talking softly. 

“You can’t tell anybody this…” She looked over to the man in front of her lounging carelessly on the dining room chair. 

“Mhmmm. Promise.” He responded, his hands coming to touch on his stomach. 

She nodded and swallowed before speaking out. “Last year… when we came here… and we met you the first day… both Phil and I thought you were really cute.” 

Dan pauses and sits himself up a little bit. “Oh?” 

She grins big and then turns her face into the skin of her own knee before a bubbly laugh comes through. “Yeah… we both agreed you were super cute. Like, in a friendly, aww way but also in a. What a nice bum kind of way.” She tilted her head and peeked over at Dan who pretended to peek around himself. 

“I do have a nice bum.” 

Her face grows more red the more she laughs and she reaches up to wipe at her eyes that seem to have gone wet with hilarious tears. 

“You really do… and like… Oh gosh, I know this is so bad. Like… we both wondered.. oh wow. We both wanted to know what it was like to kiss you. Cause you were so cute.” She continued to let out small squeaks and giggles because this was so hilarious to her. 

Dan thought it was funny as well, and a bit interesting. He giggled with her, though, because that’s really what you do when you’ve drank a bottle of wine. 

“You wanted… to know how I kissed? Pretty good, to be quite honest. I’ve never had complaints.” Dan said proudly and he smirked to himself and to her. She grinned and nodded before wiping at her eyes again. 

“Wheeew. Yeah, we really did. You can never tell Phil I told you. He’d be so mad at me.” 

Oh, he wouldn’t tell. 

“Maybe… You don’t have to tell Phil about this, then?” Dan hummed in question. She twisted her head slightly and her eyes crinkled in question. 

“Don’t have to tell him what?” She asked but it only took him a second to close the space between them as they weren’t sitting very far away. His hand started at the back of her head, cupping there and tilting it up enough that their eyes could meet for a solid second. 

He breath caught and she almost choked but Dan raised his hand easily enough to touch on her side, calming her down. With a hiccupy breath, Dan’s head tilted in and he finally sealed the deal and touched his lips to hers. 

Dan doesn’t like to be cliché about love, about life, about anything, but her lips were the softest things he’d ever felt. No pillow or memory foam bed or cloud could reach the way they lined up against his and barely felt like they were there. Yet, when she finally moved them along his somewhat chapped lips, it felt amazing. Her shaky, warm hand came to touch on his own cheek with soft finger tips that sent bolts of energy through his skin straight through down to the base of his spine where he felt his whole body glow with warmth of her. Her kisses could cure world hunger, probably, he thought as they kissed passionately but not too in depth. There was no power struggle, no unnecessary force between the both of them, just a nice touch. 

It lasted for only a few moments but Dan could have kept going on for longer. She pulled away with a slightly dazed smile and he returned it before biting at his own lip slightly. 

Her fingers ran across the fuzz on his chin up across his shaved sides in his hair. 

“Y’know, that was better than either of us anticipated.” She finally mumbled. Dan let out a hearty laugh, letting his chest rumble. 

“Good. Can’t leave my favorite people hanging. How about one more for the road?” 

\--

Phil felt bad. He felt hurt, he felt upset, but most of all, he felt really fucking bad for even insisting Sarah should listen to him and stop talking to Dan, that shiteater. 

It’s not her fault Phil did what he did so she shouldn’t have to live with those consequences. He has to, because he’s the one who cheated and he’s the asshole. He continues to stare at the ceiling the dark of their room and continues to tell himself that over and over again until he feels better; until he can feel some sort of ease that he knows he’s done wrong. 

It’s not helping, and he’s worried even more now, because she’s been gone for an hour and a half or so. If she really went for a walk, he’s getting a sick feeling in his throat. He wants to go down and see if she’s just sitting in the living room alone, crying to some romantic comedy. He wants to go down and see if she’s really gone and if he needs to call the police because she isn’t back yet. 

But what if she is really there, and he goes down, and she just gets even more mad? 

But what if she’s gone? 

“Fuck it.” He mumbles and he’s out of the bed. He grabs his discarded shirt from earlier and tugs it on before grabbing his phone from the table and slipping it into his pj pockets. Barefooted, he walks out of the bedroom and into the hall, making sure to quietly sneak down the steps to not wake anybody. 

They say third time’s a charm; you try twice, and succeed the third time. Finally, after all your hard work. 

Phil just feels like he’s lost, everything, all at once. At the same time, he feels nothing at all. 

“What the fuck?!” Is all he can say as he’s fumbling into the kitchen. He doesn’t see anything. He doesn’t hear anything. He doesn’t want to know anything other than the pure anger that hits his body and sends his adrenaline speeding out through all his muscles at once. 

His brain says annihilate, destroy, end while he can’t do that because his rational side tells him it’s illegal and it’s not right and he should possibly talk to the parties involved before bruising and beating. However, he has no patience for talking and no interests in talking. 

He’s got Dan by the hair, pulled him of the chair he was sat on and down onto the ground with his back squeaking across the linoleum. 

Sarah’s trying to be quiet as she cries for Phil to get off him, to stop, to let him go but Phil’s not hearing anything but the way Dan curses at him. 

There’s wine spilled on the ground around the table now. Sarah’s tugging on Phil’s arm and that only makes him pull tighter at Dan’s hair. He would have just started throwing punches, but he’s not that kind of person. He just wanted him off and wanted him away from her. From that table. 

The same table. The same kitchen. The same common denominator that goes by Dan. 

“Get off him right now, Philip Michael Lester, or so help me god.” Sarah said sternly in her most quiet voice. 

“I won’t get off him until he tells me why the fuck he was on you!” Phil growls and she narrows his eyes at him. Dan winces as his he feels his hairs being pulled out one by one in the tight grip of Phil’s hand. Anywhere else, Dan would like this position. 

“He was trying to help me! Since you don’t talk to me, I thought maybe I could find somebody to talk to about my fucking problems” she spat out, trying to tug his hand away from Dan’s hair. 

“Oh, so helping you with your problems includes snogging at the table where our kids eat. Not to mention, right below where we sleep.” 

She lets out a groan before smacking at his arm to get him to let go. “If you would listen to me with your big head for one bloody second, or thought things through, I would explain. If you couldn’t tell, there was alcohol involved. I know that’s no excuse, and I’m sorry Phil, but don’t blame him.” 

Phil snorts and he rolls his eyes. “I’m blaming him. He’s no good. I fucking told you that.” 

Dan holds up his hand. “May I interject here? I really was just trying to help.. ow, fuck. And you can absolutely blame me. I’m sorry… Jesus Christ, Phil, where did you get your death grip from?” 

Phil growled under his breath again before glancing between Dan and Sarah. She looked at him with big wet eyes, her frown stretching across her mouth. He looked to Dan who was wincing, but seemed sincere with the words he said, for probably the first time Phil knew him. 

In the same kitchen, in the same house, with the same person. Phil had déjà vu and his head felt heavy with all the memories that ran through it. 

“Please, Phil, I’m so sorry.” She continued to speak. “I’m… this was a huge mistake. He really was just trying to help me. I’ve been talking to him because.. I’ve.. I’m so lost with what to do with us.” 

Phil felt sorry he was mad. He felt sorry that she had to go to him. He felt angry that he felt even with his wife who knew nothing about the past actions that happened in this very room. 

The guilt was still there but the major ache was slowly breaking away in some revelation. 

This was nowhere near the magnitude of what he did, or what happened, but it was a breaking point. 

He was still angry but his hand finally let go of the curly man’s head to let it thunk down against the floor. 

“Fuck, Phil.” He groaned out, his eyes going closed. Sarah gasped as she bent down in and reached to place her hand behind his head. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before mumbling an “okay” to her and he pushed himself up, scooting so he could turn and sit himself up propped against the cabinet. 

Sarah helped him before she looked towards her husband who stood there in the same spot, blinking a few times between the both of them. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and he did the same before their eyes met again. Phil sighed quietly and she started again. 

“Phil, you know that… our marriage hasn’t been the best. You don’t... talk to me anymore, you don’t share with me how you’re feeling. I didn’t know what else to do.” 

Phil, at this point, wasn’t even mad anymore. He still responded, though. “So you made out with the pool boy?” 

“No! God… I didn’t... mean or want that to happen, it just did. I mean that, he’s been talking with me, and giving me ideas and helping me figure out what I can do to make us work again.” 

She looks between Phil who seems like he’s calm again and Dan who is looking up over the both of them with the biggest puppy eyes. He swallows down his lump that was stuck in his throat and lets out a breath. 

It’s eerily quiet between them for far too long and Phil can feel an itch creep up over his chest and neck. He wants this to end as quick as it started. 

“I’m going to bed.” He finally pushed out through his lips and he turned himself away from both of the bodies in front of him and made his way out of the kitchen. “See you up there.” He faintly said before he left the kitchen, the room he didn’t know would play such a pivotal part of his life and his relationship status. 

He made it to the bedroom and just flopped himself down against the firm yet fluffy mattress. Without hesitation, he pressed his face into the pillow below him and considered not taking another breath. 

In an ironic kind of way. 

The way the kids in the forums talk about ending their lives over a bad meme of Sonic. He feels that self-doubt bubble up through him and he finally gets irony on the internet while his mind throws twenty-two million different ideas at him. 

He wants to die, but in a way where he doesn’t have to deal with things anymore that inconvenience him. He still wants his wife and kids and their not so bad house and his job but he wants it to be easy in the sense that he doesn’t have to move through the shitstorm that is the entire world. He doesn’t need emotional distress nor does he need the ringing in his ears from this stress migraine he’s getting that starts just at the base of his skull and swims through every single nerve ending in his head. 

He hates that he can’t be the person his wife confides in anymore. 

He hates it even more it’s somebody who he’s put his dick inside. 

She can have friends, though. She has friends, male friends, colleges, lots of them. She knows all of them very well and can name random facts about them. She’s talked about Phil to them and them to Phil. 

It’s just different for Dan and it’s because he already knows so much about Phil. It’s scary how much he can just pick up. Clearly he’s already gotten in through to her. Only a matter of time until she leaves him. 

Phil’s gone numb to these thoughts and has been since about December last year. The constant state of completely tuned out of the real world is comforting to him because he can at least predict his thoughts. He knows how to tune them out and he’s asleep only after fifteen minutes of laying completely still in the bed. 

The bed shifts after a few moments, or an hour, he really isn’t sure and he can smell Sarah’s rose scent fill the bed up. She slips under the covers with no problem and lays her head there on the opposite pillow. He doesn’t lift his own but he knows she is looking towards him through the dark of the room. It’s silent and it stings at the same time it’s soothing they aren’t nagging or fighting or talking about nothing. They’re both in some quiet conversation in the silence of the room. 

Her breathing evens out and Phil lets himself sigh out before his mind vibrates itself back to sleep. 

\--

The kids come into the room at around 6:30am and are quickly turned away. 

“Granny.. go. Get them, babies.” Sarah raises her head long enough to look down over the ruffled hair of her daughter. Rosa just huffs out and crosses her arms. “Please… mummy is tired.” 

“Fine!” She grunted out and she stomped her little feet out of the carpeted room with Charles following behind her with a still half asleep face. 

Phil moans and mumbles before he’s back asleep and Sarah follows quickly after. They aren’t bothered again, so maybe it worked. 

\--

It worked. 

Sarah didn’t move herself out of bed until nearly 8am with Phil coming downstairs around 8:30 am. 

They both still didn’t have anything to say to each other, so there was just more silence that was filled by the coffee maker heating up the water so their brains could wake up. 

Today was beach day so there wasn’t any energy put into making breakfast, just some toast and jam and some cereal for the kids. Mostly because Dan hadn’t come in. He usually helped make every meal large. 

They ate in mostly quiet, though. No text from him, no sign of him in the house.

Phil was grateful. Sarah had a look of concern on her face all through breakfast. 

Both the Lester’s felt some sort of slight tension but decided to not say anything, and rather, let them work it out. They were adults with their own problems, obviously. 

Once food was munched and kid’s faces were cleaned, they bolted upstairs with Grandpa following behind them. 

The rest of the gang cleaned up, Kath a bit suspicious. She tried to bring up some light conversation, see if it bugged them. 

“So, how are you guys enjoying it here? I dare say, the house is lovely. I’m excited to head to the beach today.” She glanced between them and they put on their best smiles to her. 

“I think it’s even better the second time around,” Sarah started, “And yeah, I’m excited to go lay out and just breathe in the ocean air.” 

Phil nodded in response to what Sarah said. “I don’t like laying out, I’m excited to go swimming though.” He faked a grin before closing up the dish washer and his mum returned a soft smile. 

“I’m glad. You just both seemed off this morning.” 

They both gape at each other for a moment before Sarah chimes in, thinking quickly. “Oh, yeah, we’re both just really tired. Neither of us could get to sleep last night. It’s why we laid in. Sorry if the kids woke you up too early.” 

Kath turned herself and shook her head with a smile. “No, we were already sitting up watching the news. Think we should all tuck in earlier tonight and get some rest.” 

“Yes, please.” Phil mumbled before playfully laying his head on his mum’s shoulder. She let out a soft “aww” and patted his cheek. 

“My poor tired boy.” 

Sarah grimaced to herself but smiled. “Let’s go get changed. The faster we start the day, the faster we can end it and get some sleep.” 

\--

They’re all downstairs again in another 15 minutes with Charles running around in his shark towel chasing after his sister who is screaming. 

“Oh, heven’s be.” Kath exclaims and opens the sliding door for them to run outside and out through the yard. She’s standing at the doorway, keeping her eyes on them and make sure they aren’t near the pool. 

Sarah’s in the kitchen, grabbing her wallet and the keys to the house. Phil and his father gather up towels, toys, and drinks for the family and stuff them inside the mini cooler. 

They’re almost set to go before Rosa is running back into the house, her face a bit red. 

“Mummy! Mummy!” Kath turns and watches her with a cocked eyebrow as she goes straight fo her mum, tugging on the skirt she wears. 

Sarah pushes her sunglasses up, her hair bunching back up on her head. “What what!” She repsonds and Rosa is tugging her skirt again. 

“Why is Danny not moving in the pool?” 

Everybody stops moving for a moment, and they stop breathing. 

Sarah’s walking quickly now, leaving Rosa behind as Phil follows her.

“What the hell did you do to him?” She’s turning to look at Phil where he has wide eyes at her. 

“Me?! I didn’t do anything!” He’s exclaiming. They push through the doors and see their son sitting in the grass, pulling out clumps before they make it to the edge of the pool. The both stop and gasp a little before seeing the scene before them. 

Dan’s folded up, arms crossed with his head on his shoulder enclosed in a bitten into donut floatie. His legs cross where his feet dip into the water and, yeah, he isn’t moving. 

“I swear to God, Phil-“ “What! I didn’t do anything.” “Dan!” 

Both of them call for him and clap their hands and it takes a moment, a long moment that feels like it’s never ending but he’s moving. Sarah sees water tremble and his head lulls back along the round end of the donut. Phil breathes out and Sarah regains the three years of her life she almost lost. 

It would have been cute had the not thought he was dead, in the pool. 

“Huh?” He’s coming too and his eyes blink open before he’s shielding them with his hands. “Oh… hell, where am I?” 

“The pool?” Sarah’s talking and raising her eyebrow. “You.. fell asleep in the pool? How long have you been in there? You must be a prune.” 

Phil turns around and grabs the debris catcher to hold it out to him. Dan takes a weak hold and Phil pulls him in closer to the edge. Phil’s parents wait at the edge of the doorway to the outside. 

“Oh… shit. I woke up at like... 5am. I came out to swim, clear my mind. Guess… I fell asleep while I was relaxing.” He rubs his eyes again before looking up at them with squinted eyes. 

“Oh… that makes more sense than you dying on us.” Sarah reassures him and he laughs a little. 

“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to… scare you. I’ll keep sleeping to ground and bed only.” 

She smiles appreciatively before nodding. “Thank you. Would you like to come with us to the beach then? No ocean sleeping.” 

He laughs lightly and swishes his hair from his eyes before he pushes himself out of the donut hole. The water splashes a little around him but he shakes his head a little. “No, I think I’m going to go sleep for another hours while I let my skin dry out.” 

Sarah’s smile falls a little but she nods and turns to Phil. “Of course, you’re tired. If you wanna come find us later, just text me, yeah?” 

Dan smiles at her and nods before stepping up out of the pool. His feet were almost gone completely white with the way his skin raised in the pool and he was making his way down the sidewalk to his house. 

Sarah watched him then looked to Phil who shrugged at her. 

“Okay.. to the beach!” She cheered, looking back at her family that waited by the door. The children squealed and Kath clapped her hands together before they were off into the hot sun. 

\--

They’ve been there over two hours and Sarah and Phil haven’t said much to each other. They sit in silence in their little off shoot from their base of camp, two chairs next to each other. 

Sarah’s in her swimsuit with no intentions of swimming but fully intending to catch rays that will last her until mid-February. Phil checks his watch and applies more sunblock and calls the kids over like clock-work for more as well. 

She’s helping lather Charles down when her phone dings with a notification. She hears it and reminds herself to check once she’s clean of SPF 100. It smells strong and it makes her nose wrinkle and turn her head away while Phil is already done with Rosa. She’s off, running back towards the moat and Charles moves away to his dad who laughs lightly. 

“Mummy isn’t used to working with such toxic chemicals.” Phil grins over towards her but she gives a small smile to him and Charles before he runs off to play back in their moat. She reaches for the towel and they both wipe their hands off. 

Instead of picking up her book, she goes for her phone she remembers and pulls it out. It’s an iMessage from Dan. 

She unlocks her phone, Phil’s birthday before opening the app. 

(didnt go for a reason, think you should talk to philly) 

She looks at her phone for a moment, contemplating what she should say. How should she start? 

(Thank you) 

She replies and sets her phone back down in the shade of her purse. Phil is reading to himself and she glances over at the kids before letting out a slow breath. She prepares herself and goes to open her mouth to speak before he beats her to it. 

“You think we should talk.” 

She wrinkles her eyebrows and face because damn him. She does the same thing everytime.

“I feel the same way.” She looks to him and he’s put his book down over his knee, twisting himself a little so he can face her better. 

“I’m sorry,” She says quietly. “I want to say that first.” 

Phil nods. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the past year, for everything. I can’t go back and fix it from that vantage point but I’m here now, and I’m listening, and I’m ready to fix this.” 

Phil feels physically better about this. He breathes in, breathes out. She doesn’t know what he’s saying sorry for, but he’s said it, and it stings a bit less to think about all of this. 

She nods over at him again before she stands herself up a little from the seat. Phil raises his eyebrow before he watches her scoot her chair closer. She sits again and looks over at him. 

“You wanna go first?” 

Phil nods. “It’s not you.” He says softly. She’s already holding back the muscles to stop herself from crying in the middle of the beach. 

“I’ve not been the best, in every sense of the word, and it’s because I’ve been selfish.” 

He is technically not wrong. 

“You have been. But, I have been selfish too. Not everything is about me. Sometimes your work is tough and you’re expected do a lot of things. I would love to help you more.” 

“I would like that, too.” He gives a little smile to her, the corner of his lips turning up. She reaches over and touches on his hand which he extends to her. 

“There are… a lot of things we still need to say to each other. And it can’t all be right now, though. Just know, that I love you so much. This isn’t the end of our world, and this is just a bump on our ride through life.” 

Sarah blinks at her husband and then pauses before letting out a loud laugh. 

“Oh… oh my god. If you weren’t an English professor, I would have left you just for that line.” 

Phil’s mock offended. “Hey! It’s a good line! Everybody needs a good cliché!” 

“Not when we’re trying to be serious you dingus!” She playfully slaps her hand down on his and she’s still laughing. 

“Tell me, when have I ever been serious?” Phil tilts his head back and gives his wife’s hand a squeeze. 

Her heart skips a beat in the best way and she feels warm inside and out for the first time in a while, and it’s not because of the sun. “Never. And that’s how I like it.” 

\--

Dan teeters in and out of sleep for the rest of the day and rolls around in his bed for hours on end. He has random dreams, some fleeting into reality when he hears random noises outside. He chases more sleep each time he wakes up until it’s later in the afternoon and his phone dings with a new notification. 

He’s been getting tons, probably from friends or a few men who want to come over and all he wants is more sleep. 

When he gets another notif, he’s gasping out and throwing his covers off of him so he can reach around on the floor for his phone that fell off sometime between his dream about cake and the one about going on a rainbow road themed roller coaster. 

He scans his thumb and blinks his eyes 10 million and 1 times before he can see straight. He’s got messages from five different people with the one at the top being the one that catches his eyes the first. 

(Phil wants to talk to you tonight.) 

Oh. Well, that seems interesting. 

(cool. you talk to him?) 

Dan sends back but doesn’t get a message right away so he falls back into the bed. It’s around 3:30 pm so he sets an alarm for 5:15 and shuts his eyes for a moment again. 

The moment is broken by the loud ring of his alarm that shrieks through the room. He grunts out with his head digging back into the pillow and lets it play for another round before he reaches next to his head to smack the screen of his phone a few times. The noise stops so he takes it as a win and turns himself over onto his side, reaching to unlock the phone. 

He’s got another message from a few people, but nothing from Sarah. Grumbling and not wanting to get up from his bed, he gets up anyways. 

Stumbling around his room, he finds some decent clothes to put on and he grabs some shoes to slip on so he can walk from the pool house to the main house. 

His stomach rumbles and he shushes it for no particular reason and gets himself out of his room and out of the house. 

Once inside, he greets the family who seem to have been there for only a short period. He says hi to the kids and waves and grins before asking Phil’s parents about their time at the beach. They talk about being so happy to get out of rain and clouds and he finds it cute. Older people are cute when they aren’t sending you dick pics at 3am. 

He excuses himself to go find either of the remaining house guests and finds them in the kitchen, a usual place for them. 

“Hello lovely couple! How was your day away in the bright sun?!” Dan exclaims to them, Sarah standing next to the counter while Phil kicks back in the dining chairs. 

“Just the person I was looking for.” She smiles over to him and tilts her head. “Wanna do dinner with me?” 

“Absolutely, what’s on the menu?” Dan grins and gets to help with Sarah. Phil doesn’t leave but he doesn’t say anything, or give a snarky remark and it’s kind of peaceful, Dan thinks. It’s alright. 

\--

They all eat too much chicken and rice, but it’s a lovely feeling. Sarah brings out some cake and they really shouldn’t, but everybody takes a piece with some more iced tea, the American way Phil’s mum exclaimed, and they’re nearly falling asleep at the table once they’re done, tanned and full of good food. 

Dan can barely stand but he’s up and helping clear the dishes while the rest of the family sit and finish their drinks with like talk. Charles is almost asleep in his chair and Rosa is getting drowsy as well. 

Sarah and Kath decide to take them up to bed and get them in before they decide to wake up and stay up for a long time. 

Nigel and Phil clean up the rest of the table together and make light small talk. Dan thought it would be more awkward, but Phil’s dad likes to talk and he’s funny, so it’s easy and light. They also finish the dishes faster and Phil’s dad is off to the living room to catch some news and some football. 

It leaves Dan on the sink side of the kitchen with Phil looking over at him. There’s tension that strings through the room like a guitar. You could pluck it, and strike a note, but it’s not all that bad. 

Phil looks at the table for a moment and holds his breath. It’s still the same table, of course, and it’s still the same kitchen and Dan is still the same lying, deceitful little shit. He’s just a tiny bit forgivable in this moment as Phil looks at him and he can’t see the hate in his eyes like he did earlier this week. 

You learn a lot about somebody with just looking at their eyes, and Dan’s are open. Physically and emotionally. He’s open to whatever is about to go down. He’s open to whatever is going to come of this conversation that will happen. He just doesn’t know for sure. 

They’re in a stare down, because neither of them want to do this yet they really should. It’s not going to be painful, but it will be annoying, at least for Phil. Dan can brush off whatever bullshit Phil will pull again if he does. Phil just wants to know why. 

Why them? Why all of this? Why her? Why take the time to just hurt him over and over again? Why scheme this out? Is it really that worth it to get back at Phil? 

Phil’s turning pink now with how flustered he’s getting with all the questions he wants to ask. Dan’s picking at the skin on his fingers. 

“You want to… go to the patio?” Phil finally speaks up after clearing his throat. Dan peeks up just for a moment from his fingers and shrugs before he’s pushing his hip off of the counter and heading out, going towards the study nook down the hall from the kitchen. 

Phil swallows, gathers his thoughts and lets out a slow breath. He pushes himself up off the chair and heads out. However, he goes back in for a moment and gets into the cabinet. He gets out two glasses and whatever liquor he grabs without looking and proceeds to go outside. 

Dusk is just setting in now and there’s a weird, summer glow. It smells warm outside and the bugs creek and cricket and flash tiny little glow lights around in the air. It’s muggy but it’s not enough to discourage patio drinking. The mosquito zapper flickers on. 

Phil sits down opposite of the seat Dan’s in and sets the bottle and glasses down. Dan snorts a little but takes his glass and starts off right away with his first shot, quick fire. He wipes the back of his hand across his mouth and sits back in the wicker chair. 

Phil is a bit disgruntled but instead of taking his own drink, he sits back. The sound of buzzing bugs racks his brain for a moment as they sit in silence again but it stops and Phil decides now is better than ever. 

“You... made out with my wife…” He’s looking down at his own thumbs and twiddling them around. 

“So prepare to die?” Dan’s face is resting on his hand and his eyebrows raise up as Phil looks over at him. Phil bites down on his lip to hold back a laugh that might have gotten through. 

He literally forgets what he was going to say next as he looks at Dan, blinking a few times to regain his focus. 

“No. No, I. No.” A soft chuckle escapes and Dan snorts. 

“No. You… yeah. What I said. You made out with my wife. In the same room and at the same table that we…” 

“Fucked at.” 

“Yes, God.” 

“You still can’t admit that to yourself? You fucked somebody and you aren’t telling your wife because…” 

“Because I feel like it’s been resolved.” 

Dan just stops and turns his head slightly before giving Phil a look. A judging look but also one that makes it seem like he’s confused, too. 

“So, you’re just going to forget about it?” 

Phil sighs out slowly, his hands rubbing down over his short-ed legs. His hands reach out over his knee caps only to bend himself in and reach for his glass. A shot poured and a shot taken. 

“Follow… my logic okay?” 

“Not the first time I’ve done it with some drunk guy who cheated.” 

Phil should leave. He doesn’t, though. “You… hate me. For obvious reasons. I hate you, for obvious reasons, and I hate myself, for obvious reasons. However, you indirectly made me and my wife… even? Not, necessarily, because she doesn’t know we’re even. I’m not even fucking mad at her. I don’t care that she did it and I don’t care what she said to you. I just care that I’m able to look myself in the mirror and not want to throw up.” 

Dan ponders for a moment. His fingers play with the strings hanging from his jeans. 

“I think I get it.” He finally speaks before he looks up to Phil. His head nods a little. 

Phil continues. “At first, I was so mad at you. I hated you. I hated what you did and who you did and… and I said those things to you, which I didn’t mean. At all. You are a smart person, and you can do whatever the hell you want with your life. I’m no perfect advice guru, as you can see by our current situation.” 

Dan lets out a breathy laugh from his nose and nods again. 

“I’m not… mad at you. I’m mad at myself. I still am, but I kept blaming you. When, I’m the one to blame for the most part. I must live with it. I mean, you were kind of… rude to me, but I get it. I was rude to you. I had to put my anger somewhere and nobody ever blames themselves. They blame the temptation and the lust. They blame the Serpent, not Eve’s free will.” 

“Wait… are you comparing me to Satan?” Dan looks up quickly to Phil and his eyes grow wide. 

“NO! No, I’m sorry, shit. It’s just a metaphor.” 

Dan grins and bats his eyelashes a little. “Just call me Lucy.” 

“Oh, my god.” Phil laughs, genuinely this time, and Dan with him. They both calm down and sit back in their chairs quietly for a moment. 

“I told my wife I wanted to talk to you because I wanted to set ground rules for this whole thing. Really, I just wanted to tell you that… you’re an okay person. And, I’m sorry I took my insecurities out on you. Also, thank you, for kissing my wife, I guess?” 

Dan pauses. “Wait, you agreed to what I said?” 

Phil stops and looks at him and blinks. “Well… yeah? She was really excited about it.” 

This was Dan’s turn to be baffled. He was really in shock for a moment and his mouth went slack and his eyes looked all around Phil, refusing to make eye contact. 

“You. Want me to have sex with you and your wife?” 

Phil winced a little and sat himself up straighter. “Yeeeee…yes?” 

“This is honestly the weirdest fucking summer I’ve ever had before.” 

\--

They talked more. Mostly, Phil talked and Dan listened. Dan did say a few words, but never a sorry. Phil didn’t expect it. Dan just wasn’t that person and Phil understood that. 

Dan was like the sneaky uncle who got you pirated movies from a guy at work and only came around every three weeks or so. Less scruff, more boy next door vibe, though. 

Phil somehow liked it a lot. Sarah liked it a lot too. 

Here’s two, well rounded individuals who did exactly what society told them to while putting their own little twist on it. 

Sarah is a very open person. She’ll talk about whatever in the realm of appropriateness but nothing disgusts her, really. 

Phil, while he chooses not to identify with any of the terms regularly used, likes multiple genders and had encounters with other genders (Dan NOT included) before meeting and marrying Sarah. She knows, obviously, and embraces it. 

People like Dan excite them. Never says sorry, unless when it’s his charming façade. He’s a good friend but will cut you off and up with no hesitation. 

He’s sexy, and daring, and has really nice dimples that they both talked about when the first met him. They also talked about how kissable his pouty lips were. 

Phil couldn’t resist the opportunity. He remembers Sarah couldn’t either. 

They’re basically even, almost. 

Especially now. 

“She told you about that? Wow.” Phil mumbled. Dan rolled his eyes. 

“I could tell a lot of things.” 

“I could also murder you, just saying.” 

“Murder? Really?” 

“I’ve read a lot of murder books in my life. You never know.” Phil gave a snarky look before taking another shot from his glass. 

“Reading about it is nothing like the real thing, just like sex. Sorry to tell you, Mr. English.” Dan snatched the bottle from Phil to do another shot of his own. 

“Trust me. The real thing is much better.” 

“So, are you on cunnilingus duty?” 

Phil choked on his own breath and spit and covered his mouth to cough out his left lung. Dan was going to be the murderer. 

“You… what? Why did you say that? That’s like, a really gross word for what it is.” Phil’s bewildered look to Dan makes him laugh and Phil’s laughing with him. 

“What do you say, Mr. English man? Feasting on her flower?” 

Phil is turning pink under the patio light they turned on to deter more bugs but his eyes are wide in disbelief. 

“No! You eat her out, you twat. God, I’m not some pretentious man from the 1840’s. It’s 2017.” Phil takes another drink. “And yes, I am on duty!” 

Dan frowns over at him. “Then who is going to eat me out?” Dan shifts his body and weight so he can throw one of his flimsy legs over the arm of the wicker chair. 

Phil doesn’t know if it’s the alcohol or if his body is just warm from the outside heat but he just feels the strong sensation of the most intense burning ever. 

“I’m leaving.” Phil speaks but he doesn’t get out of his seat. Dan playfully bites at the tip of his finger and narrows his eyes at Phil. 

He doesn’t hold it long because Dan is laughing out with his head throwing back. He almost knocks the chair over he’s laughing so hard with his whole body rocking with movement. 

Phil follows eventually, smirking down at the ground. 

It’s not perfect, but it’s better than it has been. They can joke easily and Phil doesn’t feel like rigor mortis is setting in the moment Dan comes around him. It’s a start that will shape into whatever happens on Friday. 

Phil knows she can’t wait to hear the news and he feels the excitement in the back of his throat the more he thinks about it. He just wants her to be happy. 

\--

 

Dan, apparently, gets the news to her first. She’s downstairs after getting the kids to sleep and they’re alone in the living room when she comes over and finds a great seat right on Phil’s lap as she sits in the recliner. 

“Oh. Hi, hello.” He said, his voice muffled by the fabric of her shirt pressing against his face. She’s hugging onto him and he just lets it happen. He feels her fingers in his hair on the back of his head before she kisses his forehead and gives him another tight squeeze. 

“Hi, sweetheart. I heard you had a good talk with Dan?” She finally sat herself back so Phil could look up at her. She smiled bright from cheek to cheek down at him. 

Phil nodded and let out a little laugh. “Yeah. We did. We talked some things out.” 

She preened out lightly again with her smile growing bigger before she was hugging on his face and body again. He laughed again into the fabric of her shirt while he hugged her back in the tightest way he could. 

She hasn’t been this excited in such a long time and the joy that radiates off of her seeps down into Phil and he can’t help but feel his chest flutter and his head spins in the best way. He breathes in her rose scented skin and it’s stronger than it’s ever been. 

For once, he feels like it isn’t all going to shit. He can bathe in this moment and let it engulf him until he can’t breathe anymore. He wants to bottle her, in the sweetest way possible, he thinks, and just keep her there forever. 

Nothing can beat the way she holds onto him and makes him feel safe. 

He does the same for her. She never let’s go, even in the worst of times, especially recently. She’s continued holding on, if even with just her pinky finger. 

Her hand is full on gripping now, maybe even both of them, and it feels good to have such a grasp on what is going on. 

Weirdly, the nanny pool boy from some random house in the middle of Florida caused all of the turmoil and internal struggle in Phil’s life. Yet, he’s given then such hope. 

Dan brought Phil into this world, and he’s taking him out. 

Dan made this place the world Phil never wanted to return to. 

His thought stops because she leans back. “You’re over thinking again?” 

Phil shakes his head quickly. “In a good way! A good way. I’m reminiscing.” 

She smiles with her perfect, faint crow’s feet crinkling in the corner of her eyes. She’s beauty to the highest degree and Phil feels this swell of passion in his whole body. 

Maybe this is what falling in love again feels like. 

\--

Dan finds himself back in his house in the early morning of Thursday. It’s like 1am, probably. Mario Kart flashing across the screen. His fingers don’t clench the controller roughly like before, and he screams but he’s never mad at Sweden for being a dick. 

He’s competitive, but it leaves him laughing and making jokes on the screen as the game files to pick a new race for them. 

His head doesn’t ache but he instead looks forward to the rest of the week. 

Somewhere in the depth of his brain where the cogs wore down his appreciation of relationships and bonding, a light sparks finally for the first time and he sees the enjoyment of being nice to people. 

He’d never admit it, but he kind of likes Phil again. 

Phil used his words to hurt, but then turned around and used them for good, something Dan could never do. He buries the coffin right after he nails it shut. 

While it was confusing, he appreciates the gesture of Phil retracting his previous claims. 

Phil’s smart, and it makes Dan’s brain swirl for a second. 

Dan started off this week wanting to ruin Phil’s, but now he wants Phil to enjoy it. 

He never thought that somebody simply telling him an apology would patch the seems that ripped apart what frayed relationship they had. 

Phil’s the first person to genuinely give him an explanation and tell him what they were thinking at the time.

Phil’s the first person to tell Dan they’re sorry and mean it. 

Dan isn’t so sure of it. A lot of people have told him a lot of things. But the way they continued to talk and the way Phil looked him in the eyes and the connection they already had before gave that flicker of spark in his brain to grow even bigger. 

Not to mention, Sarah was over the moon. 

Dan likes her a lot. She’s motherly and caring, and he wants to continue their bonding. Dan can see the way she trusts Phil and he wants to put that same energy in, too. 

He loses at Mario Kart, 6th place, and he almost doesn’t even care. 

For a faint moment, he considers just moving to England to work for them full time. 

It leaves his brain because he really wants to just play Mario Kart and not gush about trusting people and building meaningful relationships for the first time at the ripe age of 25. However, he gets a tad bit excited just thinking about what is to come. 

This summer, he wanted to continue his legacy of less fucks given and more ‘fucks’ given. 

However, just an hour-long talk and a couple sips of alcohol later, he’s almost changed his mind. 

Why? 

Dan was just tired of being a punching back for old, rich men and himself. He was tired of laying everything on him and making himself the victim of the hurtful things he did to people. 

He wanted to grow up, and Phil and Sarah inspired that within him. He’s not ready for kids, or fucking marriage, but he is ready to be serious about a few things. Mario Kart is one of them. 

“Fuck! Off!” He screams at the TV, barely making it in front of Yoshi to cross the finish line in 1st place. 

“Yes! God.” He gasped out, letting himself fall back into the couch, bouncing a little. 

He’s ready to start taking other things seriously as well. 

\--

They spent the day in on Thursday. Swimming in the pool and playing the yard. They brought chalk and some other outside toys they could use while they have their half our break from the pool. 

Sarah continues to lounge in the sun while Phil sits in the shade this time. His shoulders still got burnt somehow at the beach, even with their three layers of sunscreen, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been, so he takes it as a win. 

The kids rotate from the pool and out of it while Phil’s parents ride around the pool lazily on their floaties. 

Dan comes out around midday and the kids are begging for him to join so he immediately goes back into the house and changes into his smaller, swimming shorts. 

Shorts that… seems smaller than the ones Phil remembers. Sarah notices too because she looks at him and then looks to her husband, who also is looking at Dan. She waits and Phil looks over to her and they both share a moment of eye contact. A moment of, wait a second. 

He’s in the pool now with Rosa on his neck, screaming something about sea monsters. Her pitch reaches far too loud, and Phil’s about to quiet her when Dan comes in, calming her and telling her that screaming is only reserved for scary monsters and roller coasters. 

She waits and then nods. “You’re right.” 

Phil almost throws his hands up in frustration because why will she listen to him but not her own parents. Sarah just rolls her eyes and finally, they’re in the same boat. Phil suddenly wants to go over with her. 

So he does. He pulls a chair up next to his wife and sits down, getting as much of himself under the umbrella as possible. 

“Why does she listen to him and not us?” Phil leans himself in so nobody can hear but Sarah. 

She lowers her head so she can see past the top of her sunglasses. “I dunno, maybe the same reason we like him.” 

Phil stops. “That’s absolutely gross.” 

“What?! What did you think I meant?!” She turns to him a little and gives him a strong questioning face. “I meant he’s charming, you baboon.” She playfully smacks her chest and Phil makes as soft ‘ooft’ noise before rubbing on his chest. 

“You’re right, he is. Well, he was. This trip has been a bit… different. I’m glad… it’s back to normal?” Phil’s voice raises up a little at the end, like he doesn’t know what Sarah thinks. 

“Yeah.” She sighs out with a smile on her lips and she lets herself lay back. “I’d let you put more tanning lotion on me…” 

Phil playfully curses the family friendly atmosphere under his breath. She grins and turns herself over on the flat chair she lays on and rests her head across her arms. Phil keeps a strong gaze down over her and one over to Dan, his hair curling even more as water splashes over it. His shoulders a light pink now with only being in the water for a short time. Dan catches Phil looking at him and he gives a grin before his face is the target for a ball soaked in water. 

“Oh! Ow, no throwing that hard Charles, Jesus.” Dan laughs though and Phil laughs. “What sport do they have in England where you throw things? Do that. Or come here and be a baseball player. I’ll be your biggest fan!” As Dan says that, he picks the boy up out of the water and he’s laughing while flinging himself around. 

Phil watches silently with a smile. 

\--

Sarah wakes up more than four times in the night, her chest a bit wet with sweat even though the air conditioning brrrzed in throughout the whole house. She tired her hair back the second time she woke up and it’s just a knotty mess now as she tosses and turns with the nerves in her belly forming up and making her chest sting a bit with worry. 

What if this doesn’t work out and her happiness and excitement is torn down by one thing? What if Phil decides to say no? What if Dan backs out with never having full intentions of doing the job? 

The job. As if they’re paying him for this. The extra $500 they spend to have the pool boy/nanny around comes to her mind. He should put advice and sexual therapy on that list. 

Still, it racks her brain. It sends a sour taste to her tongue and makes her body stiffen with nervousness. She just wants it all to work. 

Something in the back of her mind telling her it won’t. That this week has been too good to be true. Phil is just pretending. As soon as they go home, it’s going to be the same. 

At first she was fine. Thinking of all the things they were going to do. She may have gotten off in the shower about it. Phil and Dan. Both of them on her. On each other. 

That heat deep inside of her stomach fires up and she’s another kind of excited but it’s not the time when she’s having a nervous breakdown about it. 

What if this isn’t the thing that sends them back into normalcy? What if Dan is wrong? He’s no sex therapist nor is he any kind of therapist. He’s just the hired help. 

She shuffles herself back up against the bed frame and lets her back touch on it lightly so she can sit up for a moment, wiping her damp forehead. It’s almost too much to wrap her brain around. She has to trust her gut, though, and it’s hard. 

She’s excited, and she can’t wait, but there have been plenty of times it’s not worked out for them and it’s another week of Phil being grumpy. 

Her hands tighten around where they wrap at her abdomen and she glances down over to Phil whose face is pressed into the pillow. She reaches over and touches gently to pat down his tuffled hair. He doesn’t stir or anything, probably deep asleep. Not worried. 

If he isn’t, she shouldn’t be. He’s been the model for her since they met. 

She decides to swallow down the worry in her throat and silence her brain so she can’t get some sleep. Mostly, because she doesn’t want to be tired for tomorrow. 

She kicks the covers off of herself and folds herself over to lay on her stomach, her arms reaching up under the pillow to hug it and press her face in. 

All she remembers is hearing Phil shift in his place before she finally closes her eyes and drift off. 

\--

They wake up together and share soft kisses before going downstairs early to send the kids off with the grandparents. Bags are packed and extra clothes are stored in baggies for after the log fume. 

The kids rub their eyes and hug their parents goodbye before they hop out of the door. Phil gives his mum a kiss on the cheek before she follows them, smiling big with her thermos of coffee. 

The couple turn to each other and share some more kisses before they finally head back to bed. It’s so perfect and lovely. They both sleep until around 8:45 and this is what the American dream is. 

They roll around in the bed a little to wake each other up with soft giggles and sweet kisses and puffy cheeks from smiling too wide at each other every time they catch a glance. 

It feels new but it feels so familiar. It’s what sends that spark of excitement up their spines each time they reach to share a kiss. 

This is their new start. 

Phil volunteers to saunter downstairs and brew some coffee. It must be a strong blend because once it’s done and he’s pouring the second cup, he hears the living room sliding door sweep open and shut. 

“Mmm, somebody is awake.” He hears the faint, soft voice say before he’s glancing around to see a shirtless Dan walk in. His hairs a bit sticking up and he still hasn’t rubbed all the sleep from his eyes yet. 

Phil almost chokes. “Y-yeah. Hi. Would you like some?” 

Dan nods then scratches at his hips, yawning out. “I was—ooooahhh. Sorry. I was coming in to make food but. I guess there’s no need.” 

“Oh are you hungry? We can eat…” 

Dan shakes his head. “I probably won’t until after… just to be sure.” 

This is the second-time Phil chokes. He really should learn how to breathe. 

“Right. That’s… today.” He sips his steaming coffee to shut himself off. Dan grins and laughs to himself before wrapping his hands around the white mug and taking a slow sip of his own drink. 

Phil does a quick two takes of the length of Dan’s body before he turns his attention to the window, looking outside. 

“Is she coming down or you want me to take this up?” Dan points to the other cup and Phil shakes his head. 

“She’s not coming down. Let’s go up.” Dan takes the glass and starts their walk out of the kitchen and up the steps. 

They get to the door, and open it. When it’s on its way open, they hear Sarah’s voice make an “oh!” before they’re in the doorway looking in on her half dressed in some baby blue and black underwear. 

Dan pauses as he sees her covering her breasts, what she hadn’t gotten covered up yet. Her legs seemed to go on forever and her skin was lightly golden. The panties stretched across her gorgeous hips. His mouth gapes a little before Phil peeks past him. 

“Hey, wait, what’s going on.” 

She’s laughing a little, a blush covering her cheeks and Phil scoots past Dan with the same reaction. However, Phil speaks first. “Oh.” 

“I’m… sorry. I didn’t know you were here.” 

Dan catches the drool before it seeps from the corner of his mouth but he makes a soft “pfft” noise. “You’re sorry? Not your fault. I’m sorry. I should have let Phil gone first.” 

She smiles still and finishes getting her arm in through the hole, turning around so she could hook the bra. Phil’s moved into the room, keeping his eyes on the both of them. 

“Come in, come in. I just. Wanted to put on something nice. I don’t… get the opportunity to a lot.” 

Dan nods and sits himself down in the chair opposite of the bed right next to where there’s a little coffee table beside it. He sets both drinks down. 

“I think that’s fair enough. Though, I’m like, not the biggest fan of lingerie only because I’m the most impatient person in the world. It’s just one more step. Though, you look fabulous.” 

She bites her lip and glances in the mirror she can see herself in before nodding. “That’s reasonable.” She reaches to sleep her night shirt back on over top of her head before pulling her hair out from it. “Though do you not like underwear as well?” 

Her question was cheeky and she grinned as she came across the room to where Dan had the coffee. She picked hers up and took a sip. Dan smirked and traced the ring of his mug with his finger. 

“Most of the time. Sometimes I do need some liberation. Or, if I’m feeling cheeky, you could find me in some lace.” 

Her eyebrows raised and Phil did too, for effect. 

“Really?” 

Dan nodded and sipped his coffee. “Not a lot of people like it, so I keep it on the down low.” Dan glanced up and turned to Phil. “What about you, Phil? Ever wear anything naughty?” 

Sarah chuckled. Phil glared playfully. “Not that I can remember, no.” 

Dan tsked softly. “That’s a shame. How do you feel about lace on other people?” 

Phil cleared his throat and sat his mug down. “I do.” 

Dan grinned before leaning his head back. “Maybe I should have worn something else. Black boxers they are, though.” 

Sarah reached over to shove his shoulder playfully before smiling. He smiled back when his head lulled to catch a glimpse of her. 

“Maybe next time.” Phil chimed in before he sat himself back up on the bed, resting against the headboard, a calm smile on his lips. 

Dan hummed lightly. “I guess so. I’ll bring some other things, too.” He glanced back to Sarah and smirked before he climbed up out of his chair. He walked forward, leaving his coffee, and let himself face plant into the bed. He bounced and Phil bounced as well before laughing out. 

“Okay?” Phil said. 

“As long as I’ve worked here, I’ve never felt this bed. It’s incredible. Like ten times better than my bed. I’m just, sleeping here from now on.” He turned his head to Sarah. “Is that cool with you?” 

Phil found that hard to believe. 

She nodded but stayed quiet as the haunting nervousness came back to her. She bit at her lip and took another sip of her coffee while they both talked quietly on the bed. 

She looked down at the t-shirt that covered just the top of her thighs and wondered where they’d begin. How it would begin. What should she say? Should she initiate it? Or should it come naturally. 

These questions all ran through her head before looking back up at them. They both looked to her, waiting. 

“What?” She said softly. 

“You look upset.” Phil said lightly. “Is something wrong?” 

She went blank for a moment. Her eyes glanced around the room and then back to Dan. He was waiting, neutral expression. 

Phil had the same look. Now, or forever hold your fear. 

“Is anybody else... nervous?” She said quietly. She looked between the both of them and sighed softly. Phil motioned her over and she thought she was the only one. 

She climbed out of her chair and followed Phil’s motions and she was climbing up into the bed with him. Dan stayed where he was at the end but was watching them. 

Phil opened his arm up for her and she slotted in perfectly. “I’m kind of nervous. I didn’t want to say anything because I thought I was the only one.” Phil finally admitted to her quietly and she smiled out almost sadly. 

“You weren’t alone there. I’m super, super nervous. I could barely sleep last night.” 

“S’that why you kept tossing and turning?” Phil asks and she nods. They both look then down at Dan and he smiles and waves a little. 

“I’m not nervous because I don’t really get nervous about sex, but. That’s a normal emotion. But anyways, it’s just sex. I’m not the best at it, so it won’t be hard to wow me. Also, I’ve seen a lot of weird shit, so nothing could really scare me. Unless you tell me you’re into some tentacle porn role play, then I’d have to back out.” He rests his head down on his hand and watches as they both laugh with each other. 

“Can’t say I am into anything like that.” Sarah says after her laugh stifles. She then looks to Phil when he doesn’t say anything. 

“What?! I’m not! Just because I told you I’ve watched hentai before doesn’t mean that’s what it was.” 

Dan’s eyes widen a little at the confession and he’s crawling up the bed a little bit more, laughing. “Wait, so what were you watching? I’ve seen some pretty disgusting hentai before.” 

Phil widens his eyes more. “It wasn’t like that! Oh my god.” Both Sarah and Dan laugh with each other. He crawls up closer, his body on Sarah’s side of the bed now. 

Dan reaches up and makes his arm wiggle around, replicating some type of tentacle. Sarah giggles with a loud “Ew!” before Phil face palms. Dan finds it way too funny. 

“Have you ever seen some of the shit actual people do?” Dan asks when they’ve calmed down and Phil grimaces at him. 

“Is this totally gonna kill the mood?” 

Dan glances up to think before nodding. “Probably. I won’t say anything but whisks.” 

Sarah holds up her hands in defense. “I don’t want to know anything about that.” 

Dan laughs and presses his face into the bed, turning in so now his shoulder touches against Sarah’s thigh. She laughs as she watches him and she decides to make more contact. As he laughs, her hand comes up and touches along the backside of his head. Her fingers light rake through the curls that fall along randomly on his head. 

“You have the softest hair.” She mumbles while stroking through it. Without any hesitation, Dan leans up into her touch. 

“Thank you. I rarely wash it out of my own laziness. I washed it for you, though! I promise!”

She laughs and continues her stroking. Phil mumbles a “how romantic” before he nudges his head against her shoulder with his extra pouty frown up at her.

“Oh my god, you’re like dogs.” Her hand reaches up to touch on Phil’s head next, stroking lightly and scratching at his scalp the way he likes. The noise and feeling makes Phil almost melt into the bed against her. His head falls into her neck and the breath on her skin makes her shiver. 

Instead of moving, though, Phil presses his face closer in. His lips attach to her skin in soft, light kisses. Her arm bends and turns so she can continue scratching while the little kisses he gives make all her hands stand up. 

Dan feels the shift in atmosphere and raises his head to see them and he decides to assert his place in the room. He begins with pushing himself up a little to free his hand and then touching it down on her smooth thigh. He strokes easily, finger tips dancing on the warm skin before he tests the waters and places a sweet kiss right below where the t-shirt stops on her. She lets out a soft noise and he looks up to see her glancing at him. She starts stroking through his hair again and he takes it as a sign to continue on. 

His lips trace over more of her leg while Phil reaches for her face, making her head turn so their lips could press together. She had no idea she’d be the center of attention first hand, but she’s not complaining as their lips connect in a heated kiss. It’s slow but deep, pressing their lips together in a squeeze. Phil’s free hand runs down over her other thigh, letting his fingers tease at the inside and her legs uncross from the relaxed position they were in. 

Bingo, Dan thinks and his hands tug them open even more. She obliges and he follows up and pushes the shirt up further, kissing now all the way to the fabric on underneath. It gives her another jolt of pleasure and her thighs prickle with little goose bumps. The feel weird under the touch of Dan’s fingers so he lightly scratches at them, running nails lightly over skin so it makes her shiver more. She gives a quick tug on his hair and he’s humming, but it was only a warning she was pulling out. Her hand tugged away and reached for Phil’s shirt. Dan watched as their kiss broke and her fingers pulled his shirt up off his pale body. 

Phil let the shirt fall behind them on the floor and eagerly went back to kissing her, his tongue poking through to drag along hers and she responded the lick into his mouth, kissing him deeply with her hand once in Dan’s hair now on Phil’s cheek. 

Dan took that as his time to sweep in. His hands were moving up and he scooted his body closer. He touched gently on her stomach and brought his hand flat against her skin to stroke down over it, touching lightly at the line where he felt her panties ride up. The sensitive skin there twitched and she jerked a little, breaking the kiss. 

“Oh.” She said softly, glancing down at Dan who rose his eyebrows up a little, acting like he wasn’t doing anything. She let out a soft giggle as she felt his fingers tap across her skin like he was playing piano notes. Phil’s dazed eyes looked down over her before to Dan and made a connection. They agreed on the same thing before Phil was helping Dan with the shirt. They were pulling it up over and off of her before she could say anything else. Dan even got himself hallway sitting up next to her and he kissed at her side, catching a little birth mark hidden by her arm. She laughed a little and wiggled away as she was shirtless now, sitting in the bra and panties from before. 

“That tickled.” She mumbled, her hand coming down again to sweep across Dan’s fringe to push it out of his eyes. He grinned at the motion. 

“Sorry. Couldn’t help it, it was cute.” 

Phil watches their interaction. He was surprised that he felt no feeling of jealousness or hurt. It felt peaceful. It felt right between all three of them. It wasn’t rushed, it wasn’t panicky. They took it all easily. They had the entire day just for this. Just for them. 

They did have the entire day, but Phil was too impatient to be waiting that long for something he’s wanted a while. He worked himself up in his brain over it so many times, he wants it now. 

He watches their movements, the way she touches him. How each touch means something. 

“You gonna kiss him yet?” Phil finally says out loud and she turns back to him quickly. Phil laughs a little and Dan follows and she’s turning red again. 

“Sorry… nerves again.” She speaks down at Dan. He shrugs a little. 

“Take your time.” 

She runs a few fingers down over his jaw line and touches his chin. “I’m ready.” She says before bending in. Dan closes the gap with extending himself out to her, and they meet in a soft kiss. Her hair falls in a curtain wave so Phil grabs it, taking it and letting it fall back over her shoulder. 

Dan strains himself into the best possible kiss ever. She tastes of coffee and strawberry flavored lip-something. It’s better than the first one they had just a few days ago and she’s lightly licking across his own lips, getting him to part them. He’d die for her in this moment. 

She licks down into his mouth eagerly and he’s moving up, sitting himself against her so his arm can reach around, hugging at her waist. She hums at the sensation and relaxes into the headboard now. He squeezes her side where he can feel her bare skin. She moans against his lips in this deep way and at first he thinks it’s him. However, when she pulls away on her second moan, he sees why. 

Phil’s hand fits perfectly in between her legs. He rubs carefully his fingers over the lace and catches her clit, circling it slowly. She arches her hips up just a bit before another noise comes out of her throat, this one more whiny and Dan’s in awe at how breathtaking this is. He sucks in a slow breath when he finally catches himself and reaches up to touch her chest, fingers pulling her bra straps down off her arms. It makes the wiring that was holding her up slip a little. As he’s about to reach his arm up for the clasp that held the bra on her, she stops Phil, pushing his hand away. 

“Stop…” Phil’s hand is off her immediately and Dan leans back, looking at her. His hand pulls away, holding himself up off the bed. 

“What, baby?” Phil asks lightly and she takes a shaky breath. 

“It’s not all about me, you know.” She speaks lowly. Dan’s skin crawls with the shift of her voice and the shift of the feel of the room. He looks over to Phil who has gone a little pink in the cheeks. He’s leaning back though when she moves herself, sitting up and climbing quickly on her knees. 

Something changes and it’s quick and it’s hot, really hot. 

“Up against the headboard.” She looks at Phil and he’s struck quiet because he follows orders immediately, sitting himself up straight against the wood. Dan’s watching and he’s extremely turned on with the way the power shifts. He follows her, though, getting closer to the both of them. Phil looks down at them and swallows. The pleasure is already bubbling in his lower stomach and he can’t wait for what’s next. 

Dan motions for Phil to raise his hips and Sarah pulls at his shorts, his boxers sliding down halfway with them. She laughs a little. “Seems like they’re ready to come off too, huh?” She glances up and Phil just nods with a soft “uh huh.” 

Dan’s absolutely in the mood to be the little shit he loves being, so he goes for it. He’s on Phil’s lower stomach, kissing easily down over the patch of hair that leads straight for his cock. Sarah’s discarded what covered it before, letting it fall to rest on his thigh. 

Phil’s head spins. It’s too much stimulation but he’d never ask for it to stop. Ever. 

Her hands reach for his base, giving it a squeeze and grinning at the soft groan it emits from him. Right after, Dan sinks his teeth into the soft patch of skin below Phil’s hip and he whines from it, biting at his bottom lip. 

Phil desperately wants both of them to do something but he knows better than to rush her when she’s in charge for the moment. Dan must be the same way. 

His hips rock up into Sarah’s grip as she slowly strokes over Phil, using the pre-cum that trickles from his tip to help the motion. 

Phil’s not gonna last, no way in hell. 

Dan makes it down now to where Sarah touches, glancing up at her before he goes for it and his mouth is open, licking across the leaking tip of Phil’s cock. It’s almost innocent and it racks Phil’s brain. The heat settles in him so quickly and it makes him focus at the task at hand; not coming at this very moment. 

Sarah follows his action and leans in, licking across the tip in a slow motion as her hand still works over him. She grins at Dan who is inches away and they share another heated kiss, lips smacking together with soft noises between them. It just hurts Phil even, in a good way. 

He just has to keep himself from releasing just because his wife and the hot pool boy are making out. 

What happens next, Phil doesn’t know how he lives through it. 

They break the kiss for a moment with Sarah dropping her head first. She gets her tongue around the tip of Phil’s cock again and sucks every so softly. She takes a side and sucks, letting vibrations of her hums flow through Phil. Dan joins her, his tongue poking out and licking up over the other side. 

“Oh my god.” Phil breathes out, his eyes blown. He takes all the energy he can to look down at them around him. Their mouths work slowly, still playfully stealing kisses here and there around him. 

However, they stop in exchange for moving their mouths up and down his length. Her hands stop at the base and squeeze while Dan’s mouth licks in time with hers, sucking and mouthing on the warm skin. 

Phil’s head is back again, pressed back against the wood behind him. He digs it in and grunts out softly when he feels himself be engulfed by somebody’s mouth, sucking their cheeks around him hollow. The weight shifts around him and he feels a body coming up over him and rest on his hips. It’s lighter and the fingers feel slim and his eyes open to see Sarah above him, her hair being tied up on her head. 

She giggles while watching his face, his eyes rolling back in pleasure as Dan sucks down over him. 

“S’that feel good, baby? You like that?” She mumbles in the sweetest voice she could muster while her fingers touched on his lips, and face. Phil nods barely before groaning out again, mumbling a soft “fuck” while his eyes squeezed shut. 

Dan’s really showing off here. He lets his throat relax, breathing in once more as he slowly pulls of Phil for a moment of breath. His jaw aches and his hand cramps a little with the squeeze around Phil’s base but it’s the best feeling possible. His own cock presses down against the bed and he grinds a little into it, hissing lightly between his teeth. However, he’s back on Phil again, this time taking him deep, his throat swallowing around him more. Phil jerks slightly and the tip nudges the back of Dan’s throat, making him groan out. 

The vibrations ache through Phil’s entire body and he shudders underneath the both of them. Sarah kisses him again, her hands running down across his arms as Phil grips at her hips, his fingers sneaking down under the fabric of the panties. It’s about time they come off, Phil thinks barely past the cloud of intenseness in his brain. He lets the elastic smack against her skin once and she lets out a soft yelp before pinching at the skin of his arm. 

“What’s that for?” She mumbled and Phil’s fingers curled in under the fabric. He tugged on them and she knew what it was for then. She grinned and worked herself up off him so she could stand looming over the both of them. Dan’s eyes followed as she stood and saw the way her fingers released the clips of the bra, shrugging it off her frame to toss it away. Her panties were next, shrugging them down her thighs. Phil reached up so she could have balance, taking one leg out first then the next. 

Dan felt suddenly over dressed as he looked at them. His mouth pulled from Phil’s cock with a soft pop before his tongue cleaned over the tip with a few wipes. Phil’s words were slurred and he moaned under his breath as she sat back down on him, her hands holding at his arms as she bent to kiss on his lips again. Dan rolled himself over to watch them, grinning as their hands explored and raked over skin, touching and saving this feeling. 

They stopped a moment later and Sarah glanced over to Dan with a smirk before turning herself back to Phil. She pushed herself and let her hips drop, pressing her wet against Phil’s wet shining cock, thanks to Dan. Her hips grinded against him slowly and with her soft sweet moan came Phil’s, his jaw dropping slightly. 

“M’gonna ride you.” She muttered. “And you’re gonna help Dan get ready, so he can ride you.” 

She bit her lip and glanced over to Dan whose eyebrows rose a little. They talked about this, in their brief little catch ups. He told her he enjoys it a lot and she said maybe. He never thought about it actually coming true. 

Phil just nods blankly, his eyes blown while his mouth was slack. “Yeah.” Phil knew what she said but never really registered it all completely. He wasn’t completely clear and it didn’t help that she raised her hips up, letting his tip rub across her clit and down, catching at her hole and pressing in past her folds. The wetness and warmth made him only sink deeper into the incoherent mess of moan’s and grinding hips. He reached for her, and the bed, squeezing at her hip and the bedding underneath him. 

It was a quick motion; she dragged her hips down all the way and let him bottom out inside of her, the full feeling reaching her throat with a slow sigh. Her eyes closed and fingers dug into skin where she grabbed for him before pulling back up. Teasing him, she did it again, rocking her hips in quick spurts. 

The way Phil jerked made her laugh, her bottom lip caught in her teeth. She flicked her pony tail to the right side, giving Dan a full view of her. 

He watched in complete star struck, her bod moving against Phil’s was beautiful. Every motion meant something and every touch held meaning. Her breasts bounced perfectly with each thrust she made, and then each movement Phil returned. Phil wasn’t watching, he probably couldn’t open his eyes if he tried, but Dan was getting the best for the both of them. He’d gladly watch this for the rest of his life. Their bodies molded like paint mixing. She was the bold undertones and Phil was the highlight, the soft tones.

Her hips stopped moving for a moment and made eye contact with Dan, dragging him closer with just the look on his face. He followed her gaze, climbing up into his knees and sauntering over before she reached for his hair. With a grip on it, she pulled him in and attached her lips on his, making him a part of their masterpiece. 

Phil’s hips however, didn’t want to stop. He continued to grind them, groaning lowly before glancing down at them in front of him. He huffed out a soft breath in mock annoyance and instead bucked his hips up against her’s in a jerky motion. It made her squeal against Dan’s lips and her mouth dropped open. 

“Fuck.” She said and it was extra dirty coming from her lips. Dan smirked and glanced back at Phil who reached for his shorts. Phil’s slim fingers tugged at the waist band and Dan obliged once again, letting his fingers drop to help discard his own shorts he wore. Sarah continued to kiss him lazily though as her hips rocked. Her own hands pressed at Phil’s lower stomach to hold on as his attention shifted to Dan who broke the kiss so he could twist himself around and get the shorts completely off. 

Phil swallowed down the memories of this that were buried deep in his mind and instead paid attention to shifting them. 

“Moving up.” Phil said before he used all his strength to sit himself up, dragging Sarah with him up the bed a little. She stumbled a little, falling over a bit on top of him but she laughed and he did too, giggling with each other. She bent in to give him a quick kiss before sitting herself back up again. 

She glanced over towards Dan, his pale skin a stark contrast to the deeper golden color that starts at the top part of his thighs. She smirks over at him and he playfully rolls his eyes. 

“Not all of us have time for nude sun bathing.” He mumbled while sitting up on his arms. She shrugs and reaches over with one hand, the other keeping her balanced, and hesitates for a moment. Dan makes a soft “mhmm” to her before she touches lightly on the underside of Dan’s cock. Her hip movements on Phil have subsided for the moment to grinding and it keeps her breathing harder but she can focus on her hand around Dan, and that’s what she does. 

Phil finds his glasses, which is great and he slips them on, but he needs to find where he put the lube. He finds it reaching down on the floor next to the table, his fingers catching the cap and tugging it up. The softer pitched moans Phil hears doesn’t help him search for the condom, either. It’s seemed to have disappeared into oblivion and they really need it. He grunts a little while reaching around before his fingers touch at it. With a sigh of relif, he brings both up. What he sees when he returns his attention to them is fantastic. 

He sits himself up to watch her stroke over Dan, her thumb rubbing easily at the tip in a random motion, like how she does with him. His head is thrown back in between his shoulders and his moans are sweet and pleasantly loud. It gives Phil another reality check because oh, this is really happening. 

“Dan… need you to relax… don’t think I need to tell you that, though.” Phil mumbled. Sarah glanced back and grinned before she helps Dan situate himself. He spreads his thighs open more, bringing his head up to catch Phil’s face. It’s focused now, like this is important. It is, Dan thinks, and he’s thankful there are people who understand it. 

“If you wanna… first..” Phil begins but Dan shakes his head twice before nodding to Phil. “Go for it.” He mumbles. Phil nods again and he makes sure to pour enough on his fingers, getting them coated well. Sarah is intrigued, watching. Her hips have stopped, but she still sits completely on Phil. 

He concentrates now, finger tips rubbing easily at Dan’s hole. It makes Dan’s legs jerk and tingle a little but he’s laughing softly. Phil goes for it again, covering him up pretty well. 

“Wait!” Dan says. The both stop and look up and Dan wiggles, scooting himself down. He lifts his one leg and spreads them even more, letting his thigh and the back of his knee lay across Phil’s lower chest. Sarah leans back and gives him plenty of room to feel comfortable. Phil watches closely. 

“Better.” Dan says and grins. Phil lightly chuckles and continues, nudging his finger in for the first time. He pushes past the muscle that gives some pressure but he’s inside of Dan who hisses barely at the feeling. Sarah reaches down to run fingers through his hair and leave soft kisses across his shoulder blades and jaw, giving little kitten bites across his skin. It feels nice, all this attention. About damn time. 

The Phil’s finger inside of him pushes deeper and it’s opening him up well. This isn’t Dan’s first rodeo, but he likes to be pampered sometimes rather than going straight for the party. He’s reminded that he’s being opened with Phil’s finger by the drag out, sighing at the pull it creates and the heat it produces. Dan’s swimming in it already and he swallows down the moans, opting for soft squeaky noises through his teeth. 

Phil can feel Dan relaxing with the more movement, so he goes for it, thrusting his finger easily. He twists it before curling it up inside of him, making Dan’s thighs jerk a little. He whines out, his head falling back again. Sarah chuckles against his ear before kissing behind it. She mumbles to him lightly. 

“You’re gonna feel so good. Fucked out of your mind, really.” And Dan knows. 

He forgot he knows. It makes it that much more fun. He moans to her, nodding barely while he laughs through his smirk. She grins again before reaching her hand back down, touching on him. Her fingers wrap loosely around his cock and give a firm squeeze which makes him give another soft moan for her. She moves over him and thumbs at his tip while Phil moves forward. 

He’s pulled out one for two now, nudging both of them in. Dan’s brain is racking from all the stimulation and he lets himself be opened by Phil. His fingers are long and slender and they reach the best places. Had he not known he had the option to ride Phil, this would have been plenty. Just the sensation is enough to have Dan fighting the edge but he continues rocking his hips down to meet Phil’s fingers inside of him. He yelps out at the nudge on his prostate, hips jerking up into were Sarah touches on him and Phil lets out a deeper chuckle. 

“S’that good, baby?” Sarah asks Dan and oh, that’s really nice. His cock twitches at the name and he nods eagerly to her. 

“Yes, fuck. I’m good.” She giggles and places a kiss to his red forehead. 

“Yes you are. Ready to trade places for a while?” She asks and Dan nods again, his hips rocking down as Phil continues to move his fingers. She moves her own hips, stirring up the pleasure that was somewhat subdued inside of herself. The way Phil’s cock catches inside of her makes her moan lightly, her body trembling from the pleasure. Phil tries to keep his fingers going but the movement in his lower body is too much and he bucks his hips up again against her, forcing another squeak out of her mouth. 

She playfully smacks on Phil’s side and glares down at him with no harm or malice behind it. “None of that, it’s Dan’s turn.” 

Dan smirks at the both of them, dazed and almost completely out of it. Phil nods and grins, his body slouching for a moment against the headboard. 

They move quickly, eager to change places. 

Sarah’s moved to Phil’s side, her own fingers rubbing easily between her legs ass he sits next to Phil, head coming to his neck where she can kiss on the pale skin. 

Dan’s over top of Phil a moment later, fingers reaching for the condom and lube. His muscle memory has this process down to a science. Condom, teeth, rip, spit. It’s colored orange, Dan’s second favorite color. He takes a hold of Phil’s cock and teasingly strokes on it before pressing the rubber down around him. Lube open, quarter sized amount, palm of hand. He’s spreading it out over Phil and he hums at the feeling. Looking up, Dan watches as Phil sees him. They have a million words to say to each other in this moment, but they can be saved for later. It’s Dan’s time to shine, now. 

With a hold of Phil, Dan takes his turn. The burn that fills his entire body as the tip presses into him makes him nervous. It shouldn’t, because he feels it every time. He’s just so taken back by everything. He expected Phil to say no to this. He expected Sarah to change her mind. Here he is, though, letting himself sink down. Phil’s tense and he lets out a soft “ahhh” as Dan presses himself around. It’s going what seems like so slow, but the moment his muscles take over and Phil’s bottomed out inside of him, time speeds up and he’s moaning out with his head falling back against his shoulders, his chest heaving for breath. It’s so good, being this full, Dan thinks. 

Phil agrees and knows and so he bucks his hips up, needing movement and friction. “Shit.” He mutters, panting already. Sarah’s watching with glassed over eyes, biting at her lip. She’s just as memorized by it as Phil and that’s saying a lot about Phil. Her fingers touch herself, stroking and making soft breathy gasps come from her lips as she watches Phil’s cock disappear into Dan. 

Dan’s hands run down over his own chest as he raises and lowers his hips, building up a slow speed. He whines and moans at each movement, his body so sensitive. He’s sweating a bit, hair sticking to his forehead already, but he’s aching for more. Phil reaches up and moves him down to them now, Dan’s hands bracketing Phil with his arms. Phil’s got the same look Dan has, fucked out and heavy breaths with sweat lining their hair lines. Dan pushes Phil’s fringe away and rucks his hips back and forth to make the older man groan out. Dan smirks and watches Phil blink through the wave of pleasure before they kiss. 

Dan takes the lead, kissing him slowly while Phil let’s his hands explore over Dan’s back. He flexes, for good measure, but Phil doesn’t notice with the way his mind just focuses on Dan’s on him, Dan’s on him, Dan’s on him. Dan squeezes himself before his hips raise up and drop back down again, the angle perfect to catch his prostate in the mix. Dan almost screams, his whole body shakes in pleasure. Phil has to help him stay up, he’s that shaken up. It’s good, though, and Dan can feel a different hand in his hair. A familiar one. Sarah’s stroking over his damp head, and he pulls away from Phil’s lips to look up to her. She smiles and his head turns to kiss over the palm of her hand. Dan licks across her fingers, tasting the tangy flavor of her wetness. He hums around them eagerly as she presses them down on his tongue. 

Phil watches between them. His breathing has gone heavier while he lets Dan ride him as fast or as slow has he wants. It’s too much yet not enough, reaching for his wife. Her fingers pull from Dan’s mouth and she speaks softly. “May I join in?” She asks and Dan nods, his hands pulling him back slightly to sit up more, his hands now at the side of Phil’s hips. 

She turns to Phil and reaches up to tap his nose gently. “Need my seat.” She says in a low voice and oh. Blink at her for a moment, Phil gets it and he understands it and he grips to keep Dan on him as he slides back down, pushing them down the bed further so he can lay his head on the pillows. She sighs out happily to him and bends in to kiss lightly on his forehead. 

“Thank you, darling.” She says before she’s gone and now she’s straddling Phil’s head with her legs on either side of the pillow. Her hands strain down over Phil’s chest, her fingers raking through the thin hairs that line the upper part. She says nothing and there’s no need. Phil knows his purpose. He likes it a lot. 

His mouth meets her clit first, licking back and forth, up and die, side to side. She lets out a content moan, as if this is where she’s meant to be the entire time. Her eyes barely meet Dan’s but they’re both smirking barely, their eyes half closed in pleasure. Dan decides it’s his turn to speed up, riding Phil faster. Their hips smack together more, the noise getting a bit louder. He reaches in and touches his own cock, his thumb catching at the leaking tip before spreading it down around him to stroke a few times. It helps with the show going on in front of him. 

Sarah’s back is arched up with her hands gripping at Phil’s sides. His hands left Dan’s hips and now grip on her ass, spreading her open and licking eagerly. He moans into it, chin glistening in the sunlight that peeks. She scrapes across his skin each time he does something new, her moans turning into almost screams as she rocks her hips back and forth over it. Dan really would like to join in cause it’s seems like fun, so he does. Letting go of his own cock, his hand comes and presses into the bed, keeping him up. His other reaches down between her legs, touching on her sensitive clit. 

She screams out for both of them now, Phil’s tongue thrusting inside and Dan’s fingers rubbing quickly. She grips for Dan, squeezing at his shoulder as her thighs tremble and arms shake. She leans into both of their touches, each of them going faster. She needs to hold on, but it’s so hard to. Her whole entire body screams for, from her thighs to her finger tips that grip for life, as does her mouth. Hair sticks to skin and skin turns bright red as all the blood rushes to the top. She’s the center of attention again and maybe it’s her time. 

“Right there, right there, right there.” She’s chanting, praying. Neither of them know which one she is talking to, and honestly she doesn’t know either, but both of them go faster at it. The falling feeling comes and hits quickly before her whole mind goes blank for a moment as the rush comes. Her thighs tremble yet tense at the same time with and her chest gasps for air as she throws her head down, and screams out for the final time. Wet gushes from her, spilling across Phil’s chest and Dan’s hands and she’s nearly crying now with how they won’t stop. She can barely feel her body except where both men hold her up, keeping her steady while she collapses into them. 

Dan pulls of first from her, his hands going directly to help lift her up off of Phil. With little energy she has, she falls over into the bed, her thigh still trembling as she whines into the bed sheets. Everything she touches feels too soft and too rough all at once. Her skin sticks up and out and feels too hot and cool at the same time, sweat sticking everything to her. 

Phil gasps out a breath, his chest heaving a bit while Dan leans back up over him in the free space. Dan’s confident now, his bones ready for that same feeling she got. So he speaks, lightly. “Gonna make me come that hard too, huh?” He speaks sweetly, squeezing himself around Phil in a teasing way. Phil only grunts out and Dand doesn’t know what happens but he’s being turned and moved and all he remembers is falling back into the soft bed, his skin sticking to it. Sarah lets out a soft noise, looking over at them before she smirks lazily. Her and Dan are level now and Phil climbs up over him, picking his legs up and hiking one of them over his shoulder while the other wraps around his waist. 

No memories now. No memories now. 

Phil fucks into Dan again with now warning, and the boy on his back arches up into it, a jaw dropping groan coming out. His hands reach for Phil, pressing against his stomach as the older man picks up his speed. 

“Fuck, yeah, c’mon.” Dan gets out, his head pressing back against the pillows. Sarah watches, her fingers in her own mouth, licking at the taste of herself while watching Dan. 

Phil delivered, as always and pounded in against Dan’s hips. The younger boy moaned out with every thrust he took, grunts coming from his throat that got caught each time Phil pulled out and thrusted back in. With a hip change, Phil was catching Dan’s prostate with every move he made, and it was endgame for Dan. He could feel every touch and every breath that came from Phil. He could feel his eyes on his closed ones, and he could sense the impeding pressure building up. It was too hot all of a sudden, like Dan finally noticed he had been sweating since they began, and he reached up to Phil, gripping at his arms, just to have something to hold onto. 

Phil kept going, bucking in hard and with quick thrusts. Dan was noisy and moaning and it was taking every inch of Phil’s fiber to wait it out. He didn’t have to wait long, though because Dan was there. He was ready, and he felt the way Dan went still for a moment only to gasp and then scream out. His cock twitched on his stomach before the white spilled out over his belly that poked up slightly. Dan’s whole body felt like it was breaking apart, his cock so sensitive he was coming untouched. He heaved out breaths while squeezing his eyes shut, trying to keep himself from shaking too much to cause worry. 

Phil looks down in awe as he watches Dan fall from the high, the come slowly rolling downward over his belly. Phil pulls out and lets Dan fall back down into the bed, his legs still hiked over his shoulder. 

Dan made shaky breaths, his whole body shining with pleasure. 

If Phil needed any more reason to come immediately, he got it as Sarah made her way over and stopped to bend in and lap up the mess made Dan over his stomach. She gave little kitten licks to his skin and he whined out quietly, his hand touching on the back of her head as she finished up with a sweet little kiss to the tip of his own cock. 

Phil was out of the condom, stroking himself to keep it as long as he could. Fucked out, covered in his wife’s mess, he uses a stern voice to the both of them. 

“On the floor… knees.” He can barely get out, swallowing back what noises his body wants him to make. Dan hears it and raises his head before he looks to Sarah who starts climbing off the bed. She looks a bit timid, finding herself on her knees in front of Phil. She licks her lips while looking up at him, and Dan watches for a moment before completely following as well, dropping to his knees in front of Phil next to Sarah. 

Oh, Dan knows what’s going down now. 

Phil’s head can barely wrap around what’s going on but all he knows is that he loves it. He loves Sarah. Hell, he loves Dan. He fucking loves the both of them in this very moment and he probably will forever. 

His hand works fast, quick around himself. He grunts and groans and every noise that comes out on makes Dan’s cock twitch with interest. He even rubs himself a few times and Sarah keeps a smirk spread across her face. She knows he’s there because her eyes squeeze shut and her tongue pokes out a little. Phil takes one last stoke and he’s gone, spilling out over the both of them. It gets in hair, it gets on faces and tongues. She moans for it. Moans for it, and well shit, Dan’s moaning for it too now. He spreads it evenly, spurting over both of their faces with gasps and finally his head lulls back. 

“Fuuuck.” He groans out. He sounds tired, and feels tired down to every last bone in his body in the best way he could possibly feel. Sarah giggles, licking her lips and cheeks clean. Dan follows, wiping his face while he glances to see Phil let himself collapse in the bed. He’s on his back, arms thrown up over his face and head. 

Sarah turns and helps clear Dan’s face, licking her fingers clear. Dan smiles tiredly at her and before he knows it, she’s kissing him again. It’s soft, and sweet, but she lets her tongue drag out across his bottom lip. He likes it and it’s send a new shivering sensation down his spine. 

No way in hell could he get it up right now. They both took it out of him completely. 

She pulls back and with a grin, she’s standing up. “C’mon, nap time.” 

Dan yawns right after her saying and she smiles. He is helped up to his feet and they both climb onto the bed around Phil, Dan tugging the covers over them enough. 

Phil gets turned to Sarah and without words, they’re kissing easily. It’s quiet, and soft, and Dan almost considers looking away from this private moment but Phil turns to him a moment later. Phil pauses, gives Dan a look, like a “yeah?” 

Dan snorts. “Please.” 

Phil laughs silently and tucks his head in so their lips could meet. Dan goes another step and cups Phil’s jaw, kissing him slowly. Their lips part just for a moment in the kiss but Phil’s pulling away with a yawn. Dan chuckles and tucks his head in against Phil’s shoulder. Sarah, on the other side, does the same. They’re bot smiling with eyes closed, their heads drooping with each passing moment. 

Phil should feel weird about this, and he wonders why he doesn’t but he decides to let it pass. It feels right. His legs hurt, and his arms ache, and his body feels completely drained and it’s the best feeling he’s had in a long time. He never wants this to end. However, it kind of does the moment his eyes close and he’s off to sleep with both of them surrounding him. 

\--

They wake a few hours later, Dan being the first one up. He sneaks out of the room towards the bathroom and turns on the Jacuzzi bath, filling it. He stands naked as it fills, his hands on his hips. 

The sound of the bath water running wakes the other two in the bed up, glancing around before stretching out and groaning. Phil sits himself up and Sarah follows, getting herself out of the bed to stretch even more. The water stops eventually and Sarah decides to go in and see what’s going on. 

There are a few candles lit around the bathtub that bubbles on the lowest setting. A naked Dan looks at himself in the mirror and she lets out a soft chuckle. 

“You look fine, don’t worry. Is this for us? Or you?” She asks. She heads into where the toilet is separated and Dan laughs out. He speaks out a little louder. 

“For all of us!” He waits for her to come back out a few moments later and nods, glancing into the bedroom. 

“Phil! C’mon.” She says before glancing to Dan. Dan motions her in first. “After you.” 

She bats her eyelashes and takes the step up and climbs into the warm water, sighing out contently as she’s sitting down submersed in the jets. The candles smell amazing and she could fall asleep again. Dan climbs in after, sitting next to her, letting one of the jets point directly at his back. 

“Like, if I wasn’t still so tired, I’d be orgasming right now because this jet is literally hitting the spot.” 

Sarah covers her mouth with a laugh, shaking her head. “You’re bad.” 

Phil comes in last and raises his eyebrow. “You’re having fun without me?” 

“We told you to come in!” Sarah said before splashing some water on him. He glared playfully and climbed in, splashing water on her face once he sat down. She squealed out and returned the splash. Dan leaned back out of their way, laughing. 

They stayed like that for a while. They traded off talking and making out. In the middle of their talking and lazily exchanging kisses, Dan asks Sarah a question and her whole face turns a bright red. 

“Wait, what?” Phil turns to Dan. 

“Uhm… maybe? I think so.” She looks away for a moment and Dan laughs. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It was actually really hot.” 

Her face only turns even more red. Phil thinks for a moment. “Wait, is that why it was so…wet?” 

It’s both Sarah and Dan’s turn to laugh out, shaking their heads. Phil grumbles playfully and splashes them. 

It’s nearly 3 o’clock when the finally climb out of the bath and dry off. Dan borrows a shirt from Phil as does Sarah and they get dressed to go downstairs. With hungry bellies, they make themselves some late lunch. Sarah checks her phone and sees all the lovely pictures Granny and Grandad have sent back and shows both Phil and Dan who coo over the little children. 

No matter how much Phil over thinks it, it’s not weird. He’s here, with his wife, and Dan, and it’s as normal as possible. He feels relaxed, easy. He guesses having sex really lets you get to know someone. 

Sarah looks at Phil and she grins when she sees him thinking. “Whatcha’ thinking about?” 

Phil grins down to the floor for a moment. “Just how much I love you.” 

Sarah smiles brightly to herself and tucks her drying hair behind one of her ears. “Yeah? I love you back the same way and then some.” 

“Impossible.” Phil says lightly. Dan mimics throwing up into the sink and both of them look at him with light laughs. 

“Sorry, I’m just playing.” He smiles. Sarah shrugs. “You’re part of this, too, y’know. I love you for suggesting the idea. And being there for me, and for us.” 

Dan blots at his eye like he’s crying and wipes the fake tear away before his hand cups over his heart. 

“You know. I’ve grown to love you both as well. When are you both signing my adoption papers? Or who am I getting married to so I can move in?” 

Sarah laughs out, rubbing her hands over her face. Phil rolls his eyes playfully. “We’re not that old.” 

Dan tsks softly. “You aren’t with the way you fuck, Mr. Lester.” Dan raises his eyebrows and licks off the spoon he was eating with before tossing it into the sink. 

Now it’s time for Phil’s turn to blush and Sarah laughs. 

“I would love to continue standing around, but my ass is sore as fuck thanks to you. I’m ready for a movie.” Dan motions towards the living room and Phil hides his face from the way Sarah laughs and heads out first. 

“He can be pretty rough, huh?” She says. Dan snorts. “You’re telling me. It was nice, though.” 

Phil follows them in with his face hidden in his hands, sighing out playfully. 

\--

Sarah and Dan end up taking another brief nap. Dan’s asleep in the recliner as claimed by him because his “butt ached too much.” Phil let him have it and instead opted to hold Sarah as they watched some random movie from the movie channels. 

The sun was slowly but surely finding its way down when the door opened and the rest of the family filed in. 

Charles was half asleep in his grandfathers arms while Rosa tiredly walked in hands with her grandma. Phil looked back around to see them and smiled happily at their return. 

“Hi!” He said quietly. “Did you guys have fun?” He shuffled himself out of Sarah’s sleeping grip to get over to them, picking up Rosa’s sleepy self in his arms. Her arms wrapped around him and hugged him tight. 

Kath smiled and nodded tiredly. “We did. They are all pooped out. We stopped on the way here and got them some chicken nuggets, so no need to feed them. Straight to bed I suppose.” 

Phil nodded at her and patted on Rosa’s back. “Yes. You guys can go to bed too. We’ve just been napping all day.” He smiles over to his father and he nods and they’re going up the steps with the children in their arms. Kath goes to get some water and follows them up and she kisses Phil’s cheek goodnight before she hides away in their bedroom. 

Phil and Nigel get into the room and they get the tired kids out of their day clothes and into pajamas. Well, play clothes because Rosa refuses to wear anything but her tutu she got at the park and Phil puts her in that and she climbs into her bed. Phil bends down to kiss her head and tuck her in, smiling as she snuggles into her bed. 

Phil trades places with his Dan and kisses Charles to bed. The little boy hugs onto his toy dino and snuggles into his bed. 

Phil sneaks out quietly with his dad and tells him a goodnight before heading back down to the living room. Sarah is awake and rubbing her eyes while Dan is watching the random new movie onto the TV.

Sarah looks up when she sees Phil in and smiles. “Was it the kids?” 

Phil nods and comes back to sit down on the couch with her, hugging her against his chest. She snuggled in and hummed contently as her arms circled his waist. 

“Did they have fun?” Dan asked, looking over at them. Phil nodded and smiled. “They couldn’t even talk they were so tired. I’m sure we’ll hear a lot about it tomorrow.” 

Dan laughed lightly. “Can’t wait.” 

A moment later he looks at the time and hums. “You want me to get out of your hair?” 

Phil shakes his head and turns his head back to the TV. “Nope. You’re perfect where you are.” Sarah hums and Dan can’t hear it but he smiles and nods, laying his head back against the chair. 

They fall asleep there in the living room again around 12am. They had a few snacks from the kitchen in between movies on the TV. 

They didn’t want to leave Dan out. He belonged there just as much as they did. So they stayed in the living room. They had a little sleep over and it was the most fun Dan ever had. 

\--

Saturday came and it was sad for everybody. Their last full day there. 

The kids didn’t completely understand but they knew they had to start packing up some of their things. Granny Kath helped them while Dan started breakfast in the kitchen for everyone. 

When nobody else was there, Sarah sneaked a soft kiss to his cheek when she got a change to and thanked him. He grinned and nodded and they helped get food onto plates. 

Phil came in and took his plate, kissing Sarah on the lips with a smile. Phil turns and reaches to place a playful smack on Dan’s bum, causing him to yelp a little. They both laugh, Dan shaking his head a little. 

“When do I get a kiss?” He asked playfully before turning back around to finish the eggs. 

Phil laughed in response and sat himself down at the table. He heard the patter of their feet coming and the kids ran in excitedly, jumping and talking loudly about their day yesterday. Sarah listened excitedly as she helped them into their seats and put food onto their plates. Phil’s parents followed down and Dan handed over their plates, getting sweet thank yous. 

The family sat down for breakfast and Sarah had to remind the kids to chew their food before speaking again so they didn’t choke. When they remembered, they eagerly talked about all the rides they went on and all the cool things they saw. 

Rosa exclaimed about her tutu and showed it off as it was around her waist. She giggled when Dan called her the prettiest princess and they all laughed softly. 

Breakfast was calm, easy. Both Dan and Phil made conversation and it didn’t feel forced. Their meal wasn’t awkward or hard and they all stayed for seconds. 

It was the nicest breakfast they had that week and it felt right. Saturday mornings always brought people closer. 

Sex brings people closer, but Sarah nor Phil nor Dan will mention that ever. They already swore about it in the tub. 

_“Okay. Pinkies up. We all three have to swear that nobody knows about this ever unless all three of us consent to the release of knowledge.”_

_Sarah blinked and Phil gave a raising eyebrow. Dan wrinkled his eyebrows. “What? I used to study law but I’m also a 12-year-old at heart. Leave me alone.”_

_They both chuckled but raised their hands up, pinkies out. They all three locked their pinkies together and that bond would be sealed forever. Dan nodded and they all let go._

_“Now we have to kiss on it.” He smirked and they both splashed him with water._

__Breakfast ended and the kids continued their stories as it was cartoon time. Sponge Bob played on the screen while they played with what toys they were allowed to keep out after packing most of them up._ _

__Dan sat himself down on the floor with them and let himself be the mountain of terror that Charles drove his cars all around. Every once in a while, Dan would break out growling playfully and the boy would laugh and have to re-park the cars all over Dan’s body._ _

__From the kitchen, Phil watched them play. Sarah just finished up the dishes and she came over, her head resting on his shoulder._ _

__“You ever consider actually letting him move in with us?” She asks softly into his ear. He shrugs a little and drinks more coffee._ _

__“Like.. what? A nanny by day, sex slave by night?” He glances around before she’s playfully hitting him on the side of his head._ _

__“No! You’re so gross.” She pauses. “Maybe. NOT a slave. He has to consent on his own will.”_ _

__Phil laughs. “Maybe. We can talk about this later.”_ _

__He sets his mug down on the counter and glances back again to her. “You know, I love you a lot.”_ _

__She smiles bashfully. “I love you too, more than anything.”_ _

__“I was kind of… mad at you before. For telling him a lot of stuff. I wasn’t able to admit it to myself, so hearing that you told him everything about me… it was a hard pill to swallow. But, now, after this. I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for suggesting something that we both needed.”_ _

__He reaches around and takes her hand and gives it a squeeze before bringing it up so he could kiss the back of her hand. She nodded a little and gave a soft, sweet smile._ _

__“I am sorry I didn’t tell you sooner about what I had said. I promise not to keep anything from you. But, I’m not sorry for asking for his help. He was willing, he was there, and he trusts us. I trust him a lot, too.”_ _

__Phil does too. “I do too. I trust him and I trust you. Maybe not in the same way, but it’s there.”_ _

__She nods and smiles even brighter before standing up on her tippy-toes to share a kiss with him._ _

__Dan made this place the world Phil never wanted to return to. He tore apart his brain and made it that Phil couldn’t think straight sometimes. He hated the person he had become so much, it was hard to look Sarah in the eyes and say or do anything._ _

__He’s still not happy with his past, but he can admit to himself he did wrong. He can say that he’s working every day to become a better man and a better father and a better husband._ _

__Dan thought he was going to ruin some more lives, but in exchange for a few hurt feelings, he instead gained two people who care about him. While they do enjoy his presence and his sexual confidence, they see who he is past all of that. Sarah confided in him. Phil forgave him. Those two stepping stones alone have built up Dan more than anything has in the world. He feels cherished in their presence. He feels like he’s helping, like he’s making a difference. He wants to do more for them and for the kids and if they’ll have him, he’ll gladly accept._ _

__Dan made this place the world Phil never wanted to return to._ _

__However, Dan made this world a place where all three of them can build a better relationship together. They have more than just sour memories here now. They have here, in this summer house in the middle of Florida, something brand new._ _

__The next morning is a sad one. Rosa and Charles both cling to Dan for dear life, hugging and whimpering that they don’t want to leave quite yet. She even wears her tutu for him and he has to say he’s honored by it._ _

__He keeps the children occupied with goodbyes while Phil and his father move everything outside to wait for the taxi. Sarah and Kath do a twice over of the house, making sure everything that is theirs is packed and everything that isn’t is in place._ _

__Phil comes back in while everything is filed out and looks around once more. He has his wallet shoved in his back pocket and now all that is left are the bitter goodbyes._ _

__Rosa refuses to leave Dan’s arms until absolutely necessary so that’s where she stays or the next ten minutes as they wait for the airport cab to come._ _

__Dan hugs her and tells her about him coming to visit them but it isn’t something Sarah or Phil hear. She can hardly control herself and hugs him tight and talks about how he can sleep in her room and she’ll take the couch. He laughs and thanks her offer before they’re walking outside together._ _

__The cab pulls up and she’s nearly crying but Dan lets her down. She follows as he helps put things in the back of the cab, packing their bags in. He also helps put Rosa in her chair, kissing lightly on her forehead for goodluck._ _

__He mumbles “I’ll see you soon, I promise.” To her and she nods excitedly. He waves and she returns it enthusiastically before he climbs out of the car. He stands, glancing at Sarah who has her lips in a tight line._ _

__“What’s wrong?” He asks and she looks up. “You know. Worried about the plane. Everything else. Really don’t want to go back quite yet.” Her sunglasses block some of the worry on her face, but Dan can see her frown pretty clearly. He sneaks an arm around her for a quick hug._ _

__“Don’t worry about anything. You’re smart, you’re amazing, you’re gorgeous, and you are strong. The world is your oyster.” She grins up to him and he’d kill to kiss her one more time._ _

__“Thank you.” She turns this time for a real hug, getting her arms around him and squeezing him close. “You have no idea how much you mean to us.” She mumbles into his shirt. He has an idea._ _

__Once she pulls away, Phil is there. He smiles up at Dan and Dan winks back. Phil laughs. “Don’t start.” He mumbles but they go in for a quick hug._ _

__“We’ll see you soon, yeah?” Phil asks and Dan smirks with a bit of mischievousness behind it._ _

__“I think so.” Phil nods and smirks back before helping Sarah into the cab. Both of Phil’s parents thank him for his help and tell them he was lovely. He thanks them and says he’ll miss them all, but he’s excited for next year._ _

__They agree and before they know it, the door is closing after their final goodbyes. Dan stands on the sidewalk, his one hand in his pocket. He can see Sarah starting to wave and he returns it with a bright smile. The car starts to pull away and he keeps waving until they’re down the street._ _

__\--_ _

__In the car, everybody is settled in. Only a 20 minute drive to the airport. As the kids babble, and Phil and his parents talk, Sarah reads over emails she neglected over the break._ _

__At the top of her phone, a notification comes in._ _

__Opening it, it’s from Dan._ _

__(so how much are plane tickets to england? im free until… whenever)_ _

__Her heart beats heavily and she feels very sneaky. However, with a grin she types back._ _

__(They’re usually cheap if you buy early. Phil has school recess in the middle of September.)_ _

__She waits. Watches out the window, glancing at the passing palm trees. It’s not until they’re waiting at the gate of the flight, her phone buzzes again._ _

__(booked)_ _

__Attached is a screenshot of a one-way ticket to Heathrow for September. Her stomach does little jumps and she swallows the excitement._ _

__She’ll show Phil on the plane._ _

__For right now, she texts back._ _

__(Can’t wait darling.)_ _

__It all settles in inside of her. Not a thing feeling out of place._ _

__Just another year in paradise._ _

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on twitter @ domniall im too lazy to hmtl code it this time i lit just finished writing this


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